A Ghost From The Past
by LKHanamura
Summary: Inutaisho is back from the past, mated to a hanyoukai and father to two twin girls. But when his mate's brother shows his ugly side, will he be able to do what it takes to take him down once and for all? Or for the sake of his family will he die once more?
1. Chapter 1

Inutaisho stood on a cliff that now overlooked the ruins of his former palace. So many memories of what the palace that once stood there rushing back to him. The only memories that he had that did not happen there was with Izayoi.

Though he still had no clue why the Gods saw fit to bring someone like him back. He hadn't had the most trustworthy past with ningens or youkai either until Izayoi. 'Though I have to admit that seeing how Inuyasha grew up is most appealing to me.'

Then he sighed when he thought about the pup he raised in the very ruins bellow. His eldest Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru had hated the fact that he chose Izayoi as a mate when his mother left him. He had even told him on more than one occasion that he refused to share the same blood with a hanyou.

Sighing he looked down at his side. He fellt out of place even more without Tetsusaiga and Tensega at his side. So the first thing that he was going to do was pay a little visit to his old friend Totosai.

He turned to leave but could not resist one last glance over his shoulder at what use to be his home. With heavy eyes and a heavy heart he turned back around and bounded off toward the home of the swordsmith. 'I wonder how he will react?'

x

Totosai sat with a glum look on his face. All he did anymore was sit in his cave with Myoga and stare down at the fire. He was getting extreamly bored. 'I just can't take it stuck in here anymore.' He then reached a bony finger over to the flea who was sleeping on his shoulder. "Hey. Wake up!"

Myoga groaned as he sat up. "Nani?"

"Do you know where the pups are? I am bored."

Myoga rubbed his still sleepy eyes as he stood up. "I have no clue. Four days ago before I came back here they were all waiting on Kagome to get back from her time around the well."

Totosai sighed as he thought about all the events that happened after his Master's death and smiled. "You know everything that has happened in the last 250 years has shocked us both so much."

"Hai. I never thought that Sesshomaru would have had anything to do with Inuyasha. Let alone taking him under his protection when Lady Izayoi passed to the next life to be with Master."

"Hai."

"Though for that I am sure that Master would be most proud of Lord Sesshomaru."

Totosai nodded. "As we are. I am sure of it. Though he would be truly shocked as well with what has happened in the last year."

"What would make me proud and shocked all at the same time?"

Both Totosai and Myoga turned startled eyes slowly toward the entrance of the cave when they heard that familiar booming voice behind them. Totosai's mouth falls open and his eyes go even wider when he sees who is standing in the entrance to his cave. Then he screams like a girl and jumps back to the every back of the cave. "It's a ghost! Why have you come to haunt me?"

Inutaisho raised an eyebrow at them. Then sighed as he shook his head. "I am no ghost. I swear you are still as crazy as ever." Then he took a step further inside the cave.

Totosai screamed again and pointed a very shaky finger at him. "You have to be a ghost! You just have too I saw your body after Lady Izayoi's castle stopped burning! I know you were dead!"

Inutaishi stopped and went wide eyed. Then he smiled and crossed his arms. He had forgotten about that. It was up to Totosai, Saya and Myoga to ditribute his swords in the even of his death. Inuyasha had Tetsusaiga sealed in his eye, Sesshomaru had Tenseiga, and Saya was containing Sounga in the Bone Eaters Well.

He then shrugged his shoulders as he held his hands up. "Oh yeah that. Well for some odd reason the Gods decided that I get a second chance and sent me back. Alive."

Myoga was crying as he bounded over to land on his cheek with a bite. If he was a true ghost he wouldn't touch him. More tears streamed from his eyes when he tasted blood coming from him. No one had the same blood as Master. No one! Then came the familiar slap. As he drifted down toward the cave floor he reached out for him. "Master! It is you! You are back! I am so happy!"

Totosai gasped and sneaked over and used his hammer to touch his arm. When it didn't go through him, he used his finger. He then gasped as he fell backwards on his backside and pointed. "You are back!"

Inutaisho glared from one to the other. "I think we already established that one."

Totosai was no longer pointing or shaking but still staring. "Why did they send you back? Didn't they tell you why?"

Inutaisho again shrugged and half smiled as he waved his right hand in the air as he sat down against the side of the cave. "I have no clue. They said I get to live gain and sent me back. I didn't ask questions."

"So this is for good."

"Yep. And she said that unless someone kills me again, I won't be leaving."

"She?"

"Yeah some miko."

Myoga was up and now jumping up and down on Inutaisho's knee waving all his hands in the air. "Don't even joke about that Master! It nearly killed me to loose you the first time to do it again will kill me!"

Inutaisho sighed as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms. "You haven't changed Myoga. Still as annoying as ever. And still scared of everything I bet."

Totosai nodded in agreement. "Much worse now Master."

Inutaisho smiled as he looked at Totosai and reached up to his mouth and pulled out three K-9 teeth from his mouth and tossed them to the swordsmith. "I need some swords."

Totosai raised an eyebrow and looked at him odd. "You really want me to make you new ones?"

"Hai. You did exactly what I wanted with Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga."

"Do you want more of them?"

"Hai. But only Tenseiga. I also want one fire and one ice."

Totosai smiled and turned to get started on the new Tenseiga. "Right away Master."

Inutaisho smiled then looked down at the ground as his eyes took on a cloudy look. Of all the youkai that he had in his vast armies and those that just feared him cause of his strength and played loyal. These two and the sheath Saya were the only ones who were truly loyal to him. "Can I ask the two of you something?"

Both nodded. Myoga did a mock bow on his knee. "Master you know that you can ask us anything."

Inutaisho never looked at either of them. "What do the two of you know about Inuyasha and Sesshomaru?"


	2. Chapter 2

Totosai smiled as he stopped working for a moment. "Both of them are well. Inuyasha has grown up strong. And Sesshomaru even mastered how to use Tenseiga."

Inutaisho looked at him now and raised an eyebrow at him. "What world you living in Totosai? The only way to master that one is to have the feeling of empathay for another living being."

"I know that Master I was the one who made that for you after all."

Inutaisho looked at him odd for a moment longer. He then shook his head and closed his eyes. Totosai was even older than he was and surely by now gone senile. "Whatever. What about Inuyasha?"

"He is doing well too."

Inutaisho growled with a glare. He knew there was something that they weren't telling him about his pups and he wanted to know what it was. "Look you better spill it. What are you hiding about Inuyasha and Sesshomaru?"

Totosai smiled a sly smile to his Master. "Tell me this Master what would you say to someone if they told you that Sesshomaru and Inuyasha got along?"

Inutaisho's eyes went wide. "I would tell them that they were insane. Sesshomaru nearly had a heart attach when I told him that he was going to have a hanyou little brother."

Totosai nodded as he started to work again. "I knew that. Demo, not even a week after your death Sesshomaru showed up here at my cave. Said that he would kill me if I didn't tell him where to find Tetsusaiga."

Inutaisho glared at nothing and growled. Totosai was a fool and scared of his own shadow, demo he would not have told Sesshomaru where Tetsusaiga was. "I knew he would look for it. Just not that soon."

Totosai nodded. "I ran away from him."

Inutaisho sighed. "Figures. No offence but you are both cowards still." If Sesshomaru ever got his hands on Tetsusaiga he would go on a killing rampage. And he knew without a doubt that he would start with his little brother just because he was a hanyou and the one who housed Tetsusaiga.

Myoga was once again jumping up and down on his knee. "I am not a coward master!"

Inutaisho smiled and opened his eyes. "You are a bad liar too." Then he looked at Totosai with a raised eyebrow. "Why did you even ask that question anyway?"

Totosai sighed. He knew that his Master was going to think him a liar at first. He turned and looked him right in the eye. "It happened when Inuyasha was still an infant. Sesshomaru couldn't find Myoga and I refused to tell him so he went to ask Lady Izayoi if she knew were you left Tetsusaiga."

Myoga was sitting now. "I was at Lady Izayoi's new palace with her father and brother when he showed up. From the time that she returned to her father's palace from her own, no one even looked at her because of Lord Inuyasha. Yet when Sesshomaru showed up she was the only one who walked out to meet him with Inuyasha in her arms at that."

Inutaisho smiled. That sounded like his Izayoi. Standing tall and proud no matter what danger she faced. He closed his eyes as flashes of her flew through his mind. "That was a wasted trip. I never told her what to do with them. I never thought that she would out live me."

Myoga nodded. "That was true. But, it was what happened when he stopped a few feet from her and saw Inuyasha for the first time."

"He probably wanted to kill him right then and there for being hanyou. And would have if he had not been searching for Tetsusaiga."

Myoga smiled. "Actually just the opposite of what you would expect happened. He softened his eyes and even reached a finger out and let Inuyasha grab on to it. And smiled slightly."

Inutaisho glared and growled now. There was no way that Sesshomaru would have done that with Inuyasha. "You dare lie to me?"

Myoga glared back this time, drawing a look of shock from his Master. "It is no lie! Something changed in Sesshomaru when he saw Inuyasha for the first time. He would even go and sit with Izayoi and Inuyasha when it was his human night. And after Lady Izaiyoi passed he took Inuyasha with him!"

Inutaisho could only stare with wide eyes now. They were serious and backing down at his growl. They were telling the truth. "Let me see if I understand this. Sesshomaru has been actively playing the big brother roll with Inuyasha?"

Totosai smiled. "Hai. That is true, and that is not all that Sesshomaru has done what will shock you."

Inutaisho rolled his eyes and let his head fall down into his hand. "I don't know if I can take many more surprises where Sesshomaru is concerned."

Myoga smiled and looked at Totosai then back to Master. "We better not tell him then Totosai. We just got him back and don't want to lose him just yet do we?"

"Iie. I think we should wait."

Inutaisho growled. "Out with it."

Totosai turned and looked him right in the eye again. "You are sure?"

Inutaisho growled through clenched teeth.

With a smile he looked at his Master. "Sesshomaru has taken a mate."

Inutaisho looked up at him with an odd look. "He is over 5,000 years old. About time."

"A human mate."


	3. Chapter 3

Inutaisho's eyes went wide. Had it not been for the fact that Totosai was serious about what he was saying he would have sworn they were jesting with him. But they had to be didn't they? There was no way in hell that Sesshomaru would take a human for a mate. No way in hell! "You lie to me. I don't believe it. Sesshomaru was downright furious when he found out about Izayoi. There is no way that he would turn around and mate with a human himself."

Myoga sighed. "Indeed this must be surprising to you My Lord, however it is none the less true. It seems that since your death Sesshomaru has changed drastically. First playing an active role in Inuyasha's life as the caring big brother. And now with a rather beautiful, and tasty human mate."

Inutaisho smiled as he let his head fall back to stare at the top of the cave. "Well don't that beat all." He could not wait to meet the human that was strong enough to pull him into mating with her. "Course it is a relief that he did mate with a human after all."

"How is that?"

"It shows that he doesn't hate them as much as he says and acts like. And it shows me that he does take more after me than I thought that he did."

Totosai returned to working on the sword with a smile. "At any rate Master it is good to have you back with us. And now that you are back Naraku won't stand a chance in hell for very long."

Inutaisho turned serious glaring eyes at Totosai's back. "I won't be joining them just yet, and I will not join them in the fight with Naraku."

Both Myoga and Totosai turn startled eyes back to him. And in perfect unison they ask the same question. "What! Why not?"

Inutaisho crossed his arms as he looked down at the cave floor. "It was what the miko told me. She said that I could have my life back, and come back to the land of the living if I agreed not to help them with Naraku. I have to stay away from them until the threat of Naraku is gone. A threat that Sesshomaru and Inuyasha must deal with on their own."

Totosai sighed. "I don't understand why you can't help your own pups with a demon that is pure evil through and through."

"There is going to be a bigger threat after Naraku that they will need my help with."

Myoga was on the tip of his nose now shaking with t ears streaming out his eyes. "My Lord what bigger threat could come along? Sesshomaru and Inuyasha have already killed off all your old enemies. What else is coming?"

Inutaisho raised an eyebrow as he looked cross eyed down at the little flea. "They already what? What are you talking about."

Once again Totosai came in and told the story. "You see Master, in an effort to become stronger and truly master the Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha went and slayed Ryukotsusei using the backlash wave."

"He has Tetsusaiga? I thought that you sealed it in his eye!"

"I did. However Sesshomaru did figure out where it was about ten years after Lady Izayoi's death and got it out of his eye. Though did turn around and give it to Inuyasha."

"You don't say."

"I do, and they also defeated Menomaru as the new Hyoga, the panther demon tribe and...what was that other one. Hey Myoga, you were there, the four on the floating island?"

Myoga thought for a moment and then gasped. "I know. You are talking about the Four War Gods."

"Yeah those, they beat them in a single night at that."

Myoga nodded. "Then there was the enemy that they defeated not too long ago that was the one that Totosai and myself were glad to see finally gone."

Inutaisho looked at the flea who still clung to his nose. "And who might that be?"

Totosai visibly shuddered. Flashes of finding his Master's burned and charred body under still smoldering debris going through his mind. A day that he would never forget no matter how much he wanted to do so. "Do you really want to know? Actually it was during the few days of battle with this foe, or I should say foes that lead to Sesshomaru mating the human that he has."

"Tell me."

Not even turning to look at his Lord Totosai sighed. "They also defeated both a reincarnated Takemaru and Sounga, sending them straight to hell."

Inutaisho smiled proudly as he crossed his arms over his chest again. "That's my boys. A chip off the old block."

x

Hiromi sat on the limb of a tree that overlooked a small river. A tattered and torn blanket her only source of heat. And tears that streamed down her face as she remembered the death of her father that was still fresh in her mind.

And on the backside of her father's death, the sudden betrayal of her brother turning on her and banishing her from her tribe was also a fresh wound on her mind. The thought of her brother sent fresh tears streaming from her emerald eyes as she closed closed them. She was alone now. For the first time in her life she was truly alone.

She didn't know who she could turn to, where she could go. She didn't know any area outside of her tribes land. Her brother was right as he watched her walk off of their land when he said she would be like a lost little pup for the rest of her life. "I will never find anywhere that I belong."

Just as she started to drift off into another restless sleep that sudden sense of fear from somewhere close behind her raised the hair on her neck. Without thought of who or what it might be she fell from the tree and landed in a run. She had to get away! From the day she left she has always felt something or someone was there. Always watching her.

And if things weren't worse than they could be, she was fast approaching her human night. The first night of the full moon would be there soon, and that was the night that she turned human for the next week. A week that would forever remind her why her brother was hunting her. And what made her so different from the rest of her pack. Her human blood.

She jumped through some thick bushes with closed eyes then screamed when she slammed into someone and fell back to the ground. With her human night so close her nose wasn't as sharp as usual so she had no clue who it was. She hoped that it wasn't her brother for if it was she would die.

She opened her terrified eyes and gasped when she saw who was standing over her. The look was one of anger, and that terrified her even more. But this was a half demon just like her! She was a wolf half demon, this one was a dog half demon! But his amber eyes told her that he wasn't exactly friendly to others. Even other half demons.

Inuyasha glared down at the half demon in front of him. The second that she ran into him the feint scent of Naraku was gone! He crossed his arms and hardened his glare at her. "What in the hell do you think you are doing? Because of you I lost his scent!"

Hiromi gasped again and closed her eyes as she dropped her head. Her body shaking violently. "I am very sorry." Her eyes closed as tight as she could get them she waited for the same treatment that she got from her brother. This one was a half demon like she was, but at the moment he was acting just like her brother. She could only assume that he would treat her the same.

Inuyasha rasied his eyebrows at her. He hadn't seen a half demon this timid since Jeniji. He sighs and scratched his head. "What the hell is wrong with you anyway?"

"Inuyasha!"

Hiromi heard the voice of a female and tensed her body even more. There were more of them coming! She cracked her eyes and barely looked up through her bangs to see a sight that shocked her. A small human girl was running up behind the half demon. She figured that Inuyasha was the half demons name.

She gasped then threw her head back down and closed her eyes again as more humans, a dragon and imp came up behind him as well. 'What is going to happen to me now? Oh father what should I do?'

Rin stopped right next to Inuyasha with a glare at him for leaving them all behind. Then she noticed the raven haired half demon on the ground infront of them. She looked up at Inuyasha with wide eyes. "Inuyasha do you know her? What happened to her?"

Kagome was breathing hard by the time she reached Rin and Inuyasha. When she heard Rin's question she opened her eyes and starred down at slightly cracked open emerald eyes. She had never seen eyes that color before. But she was truly terrified. She glared over at Inuyasha and crossed her arms. "Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha looked over at her with a half glare. "I didn't do anything! She was the one who came out of no where to run into me!"

Hiromi looked up fully at all of them. She was shocked to see a woman dressed as the taller one was, but it shocked her even more to see demons and half demons and humans all in the same group! 'What is going on?'

Kagome smiled her sweetest smile as she stretched out her hand for the beautiful half demon. "My name is Kagome. What is your name?"

Hiromi could only stare at her. Other than her father and a few other members of the tribe no one showed her any kindness at all. Even when her mother took her to meet her human grandparents when she was still small, they wanted nothing to do with her at all. 'Should I?'


	4. Chapter 4

Kagome kept her had stretched out toward her with a warm smile. The poor thing was so frightened and she felt sorry for her. "My name is Kagome. Yours is?"

Hiromi cast her eyes back down. These humans seemed nice enough but she knew the hard side that all humans and demons had for half demons. "I am called Hiromi."

Jaken was breathing extremely hard by the time that he caught up with the rest of them. He noticed the hanyou and then glared at Kagome. "She is nothing more than a worthless hanyou! Why are you messing around and wasting time trying to help her?"

Rin turned a small glare on the imp. "Master Jaken!"

"What?"

"Don't be so rude and mean. Lord Sesshomaru won't like it."

Hiromi was once again looking up at them with shocked eyes. An imp, a dog half demon, four humans, a two tailed and a fox kit. She didn't understand why such a group would be traveling together and seem to know each other. "Who are you people?"

Kagome stood straight and tall now next to Sango. "Well we will start with this jerk. His name is Inuyasha, a dog half demon. Don't let the attitude fool you, he isn't as big and bad as he seems to think that he is. This is my best friend Sango. This is like my adopted daughter Rin, and the kit here is Shippo. The cat is Kirara. The imp is Jaken, and the monk is..." When she noticed that Miroku was not in line where he should be she sighed. "Sango."

Sango looked down and glared at the monk as he started to reach for the hanyou's hand and let her Hiraikotsu fall on his head. "This hentai here is Miroku."

Hiromi looked back down and sighed. She didn't know what to think about this group of unusual creatures. But then that was when a stronger scent reached her nose. Her nose was not as sharp right now but she knew this scent instantly. Even though she had only smelled it once in her life. It was Sesshomaru!

She remembered the one time that he came to visit her father. It wasn't long after her mother died, and he told her father that he was stupid for having a hanyou daughter. And she had heard through out the years the stories about him and how he hated humans and half demons.

Shaking violently now she jumped to her feet and bowed her head. "I am once again sorry for what happened before. Truly I am, I must go!" Then she turn and ran as hard and fast as she could. She had to get away from there before Sesshomaru got there! If she was there who knows what he would do to her!

Kagome and Rin looked at each other and then back in the direction that the female ran off in. Kagome crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. "I wonder what that was all about?"

Rin looked up at Inuyasha and crossed her arms. "See Inuyasha. You need to stop being so mean and yelling at everyone. You are the one who probably scared her by being rude to her."

Inuyasha half glared at her and started to reach out to smack her on the back of the head but jerked his hand back when it was hit by Sesshomaru's poison wip. He turned a sarcastic smile up at him as he descened. "Maybe it was him."

Rin turned shocked eyes up to him and gasped. "Inuyasha!"

Kagome smiled as she watched Sesshomaru land. That feeling of always being content and safe was back now that she could see him. Then she turned to Inuyasha and glared at him. "Really Inuyasha it was Sesshomaru?"

"That's right."

"He wasn't the one here that was yelling at her. That I believe was you."

Sesshomaru sighed as he reached Kagome and draped an arm around her waist. "It was just another demon that that Naraku disposed of. However, the hanyou that was here I wonder why she is so far from home?"

Kagome looked up at him and raised her eyebrow. Then looked back the way she ran. "You know her?"

"Yes." He looked down at Kagome and smiled. "She is actually older than Inuyasha. Her father was part of our father's army. He sent me there at one point during a war. She barely came to his hip at the time."

"Really?"

"Yes. Then I did not try to hide my disgust for such an act as having a pup with a human and told him so."

Kagome half glared up at him. "Really now. Anyway she would have known that you are no longer that demon anyway if she hand't of run off like she did."

Inuyasha laughed as he turned his back to the group. "She is K-9, but her nose must not work or something. Sesshomaru's smell is all over you, she should have known that by smell alone."

Rin gasped as she turned to Kagome and Sesshomaru. "Do you think that she might be close to a human night? Inuyasha has one, do you think that she might have one too since she is half demon just like him?"

Sesshomaru nodded to her with a warm smile. "Could be. However it is not our concern. We have other matters to look after. Come."

x

Inutaisho stood on a cliff with closed eyes as he tracked his sons scents in the wind. He was still amazed that Sesshomaru had taken a mate at all. Let alone a human woman for that mate. He really and honestly didn't think that Totosai and Myoga were right about that one. He honestly thought that they were lieing to him. Until he smelled them right now.

Though he was interested in finding out how this woman and Inuyasha had managed to change the cold hearted son that he knew so long ago, there was something else that was drawing his attention. The wolf half demon. The smell was one that he knew at some point when he was still alive but he couldn't figure out who. He didn't know the scent all on it's own, however did at the same time.

Then another scent hit his nose that was closing in on the female. And he knew that one! Then it clicked with the half demon. It was the daughter that one of his generals fathered long ago. And his son was closing in on her fast.

But around him was a malice and hate that he didn't like. And he owed it to her father to go and see what was going on between his pups. And after all, he did have a soft spot for half demons.


	5. Chapter 5

Hiromi ran until her legs could no longer hold her and crumpled beneath her. Images of the way that Sesshomaru looked at her all those years ago still sent shivers racing down her spine. And was more than enough to terrify her of him, even now. And most certainly was not in a hurry to see if he has changed as he got older either.

She rolled over on her back and looked up at the sky. She was breathing harder than she has in a while from the run. A tear streamed from her emerald eyes as she thought about how her life has changed in the last few weeks.

Not even a month ago her world was perfect. She was home with her devoted father. Her tribe. Her pack. But now all that has changed and she had no one other than her brother to thank for it. Thanks to him she now had nothing! Not even a place to call home anymore.

She turned her head toward some water that was nearby and sighed. The reflection of the moon once again reminded her of how weak she really was. And how the very next night she would be at her most weak and vulnerable. And she still didn't know where her brother was. 'I just know he is hunting me. The hate in his eyes, he won't settle until I am dead.'

Then the snap of a twig made her tense as she shot up into a sitting position. Shaking she looked around as tears filled her eyes. She was not able to protect herself right now and knew that if that had ill intent that she was done for.

"Hiromi. I found you."

When she heard the voice say her name she focused on where it came from and watched as he stepped out of the trees. It was him! He had found her and she was in no way able to defend herself or run for it! 'I'm dead!'

Hiroshi stepped out of the trees after he said her name. He didn't even try to hide the venom that was in his voice either. She was nothing more than a half demon and one that he hated with a passion. More than anything!

It would not have bothered him to have a little sister if his father would have mated with another wolf demon and gave him a full blood sibling. But no his father had to go and mate a human for his second mate.

He had thought that he would be able to deal with it if the pup was a male, but the pup was a female. And a weak and timid one at that as well. And that was not what the tribe needed. Not in any sense of the word.

Once he was fully out of the woods he glared down at her. "Well I finally found you. And now I am going to erase the mistake that father made and take you out of this world."

Hiromi could only stare up at him with pure horror flashing through her eyes. "But why? Why do you have to kill me? I left the tribe like you asked me to do isn't that enough for you? Why do you hate me so much? I had no say in who my parents were, it isn't like I asked to be born half demon!"

Hiroshi smiled. "I know that. And had your father been anyone else in the tribe I wouldn't give a damn about what you did so long as you stayed out of my way. But the fact is that we have the same father. We share the same blood and that thought sickens me. That is why I have to kill you."

Hiromi was shaking so bad that even her hair trembled at the thought of what was going to happen to her and at the hands of her own brother! He was coming closer and she knew that she had only one last plea for him and hoped that it would work. "Think about father! He would want you to protect me! Not try to kill me!"

Hiroshi stopped as he stood right over her. Her plea did nothing but cause him to glare and growl at her. "I couldn't care a less about what he wanted! He was weak minded and you are the proof of that. Had he been strong in his mind he would have never fell for a human woman and had an abomination like you. I killed him myself to make the tribe stronger. You are the last weak tie to it and with your death MY tribe will be the strongest in the land!"

Hiromi gasped and then let tears stream out of her eyes as she bowed her head. She didn't think that her brother killed her father! "I have no doubt now."

"No doubt about what?"

"That you are nothing but pure evil and did not deserve the praise that father gave you so many times. But that doesn't matter now. For now I will be able to be with both father and mother again very soon."

Hiroshi half smiled as he raised his hand and flexed his fingers. "I don't care what you do once you are dead!" But just as he was about to swipe her with his claws the scent of fire hit his nose and he jumped back just in time to see flames hit the ground just where he stood. He glared around him and growled. "Who is there? Show yourself then leave and stay out of my personal affairs."

Inutaisho walked out of the trees from across the small river. His fire sword thrown over his shoulder. "You know it is just insulting that someone like you, and from your tribe doesn't know who I am. Just insulting that your nose doesn't work that well."

Hiroshi glared at him for a moment. He looked like someone that he knew but wasn't sure. Then his scent registered to him. It was Inutaisho! "No! It can't be you! Father told the entire tribe that you died a long time ago trying to save your human mate and half breed son! This has to be a bad joke!"

Inutaisho glared at him. "Nope this is real. Hell didn't want me so they sent me back. Your father Hiro was one of my most trusted generals. He was a good man and a brave warrior. So as far as staying out of this it isn't going to happen."

"What?"

"I heard what you said about your father and for that I should strike you down where you stand for you deserve no more than that. And for his loyalty there is no way that I can walk away and let his daughter be murdered by her own brother."

Hiroshi could only stare at him in shock at first. But then that stare turned into a heated and hate filled glare. "I don't care how loyal my father was to you. I am not him and this does not concern you. Stay out of it."

Inutaisho held his fire sword up in his hands and growled as the wind around him began to whip in a circle. "I am tempted to kill you for Hiro's memory. However I don't want to kill you in front of your sister. Here is your chance. Walk away. Forget about your sister for good and never look for her again. And your life will be spared. Come after her again while she is under my protection and your life is mine."

Hiroshi glared at him. Of all the demons in the world he was one of two that he knew he had no chance against. But didn't think that he would ever be in a situation like this where he would have to face him. He hardened his glare. "I will walk away now but make no mistake. You can't be with her every second. She will die by my hands one day and now so will you for putting your nose where it doesn't belong."

Inutaisho glared after him until hi scent was gone. He sheathed his sword with a sigh as he shook his head. 'How did he turn out this way Hiro?'

He turned around and smiled down at the frightened half demon. He held his hand out toward her with a warm smile. "I am Inutaisho. You must be Hiromi."

Hiromi had no clue who this demon was. She knew his name but just like her brother said he had died a long time ago. But he did remind her of her father in a way. But she was still not ready to trust him completely though. She bowed her head and tried to stop shaking. "What is it that you want with me now?"


	6. Chapter 6

Inutaisho raised his eyebrows at her. "I want nothing from you. Your father was a good warrior and loyal friend to me. I could not and would not just turn a blind eye to what was about to happen to his daughter. That doesn't mean that I wanted anything from you."

Hiromi still didn't take his hand. She learned real fast even when her father was alive that demons could be just as cruel to half demons as humans could and didn't trust that easy. And the Inutaisho she heard of was dead, she heard her father and the elders talking about him from time to time through the years. And she just couldn't understand why someone that important would bother saving a half breed like her if he was brought back to life.

Inutaisho understood why she was doing what she was doing. He knew when he fell in love with Izaiyoi that any pups she had would be tormented from both sides. Though he honestly thought that he could have protected Inuyasha from that by training him to be stronger than they were. And figured that she must not have heard everything that her brother said before he took off. "You didn't hear what your brother said to me did you?"

Hiromi cocked her head to the side. "What else did he say? I heard him say who you were and that you were supposed to be dead."

Inutaisho kept his hand stretched out. He was not going to stop until she took it. "I did die a long time ago. Actually not long after your mother passed fighting a human male to protect MY human mate and half breed son. I was already weak when I started the fight from a fight with a demon and was able to at least take him with me."

Hiromi was looking him straight in the eyes now. "Now that I think about father did say something one time to an elder about you having a half breed son. He even took me one time to see them and pay his respects for your death."

Then she gasped and her eyes went wide. "What was your son's name?"

Inutaisho was able to finally see something click in her georgous green eyes. Eyes that threatened to hypnotize him if he looked at them for too long. "I was able to see my son just before he and his mother fled the burning castle. I gave him the name Inuyasha."

Hiromi gasped as she paled slightly. "I remember now! Father went a few times to see the Lady Izaiyoi and her son Inuyasha!" Then she cast her eyes back down as she let tears fall from them once again. "But it was only a few times. And the visits were few and far between. Father told me later that it was causing trouble with Lady Izaiyoi and the humans of the palace to have another demon show up with a half breed in tow as well as her having one."

Inutaisho's eyes took on a haze look. "I figured that would happen at some point. But I always thought that I would be there to protect them from it. To be the shield for both of them." But before she had time to react he caught the scent of Sesshomaru coming at them fast.

Without another word he reached down and grabbed her by the hand and jerked her up and into his arms as he flew from the area with all the speed that he was known for. He could not let them know that he was alive yet. Well he didn't want to at least.

Hiromi gasped as she held onto his arm as he ran and jumped from tree to tree. The world going past her like a giant blur! 'Oh man he is fast!'

When they were far enough away from them that he could faintly smell his sons, and yet they couldn't smell him at all he stopped and gently put her down on her feet. "That was close. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha don't know that I am back yet and I would rather they not just yet."

Hiromi looked up at him odd. "Why not? I am sure that they would want to know that you are back in the world of the living. I know that if my father was ever sent back from the dead I would want to know that he was so I could spend time with him again."

Inutaisho smiled as he sat down and leaned against a tree. "I will show myself after they deal with the demon known as Naraku. Then they will know that I am here and I will help them with the next one. And besides only Sesshomaru will know who I am. I was only in the same room as Inuyasha for a moment and there was so much smoke. I was dead before he saw his first sunrise."

Hiromi cast sad eyes down. It was the emotion in his voice as he talked about Inuyasha that reminded him just how much he really was like her father. They both really did have a soft spot for her kind and in a way she was comforted by that. Then he gasped. "Inuyasha."

Inutaisho raised an eyebrow at her. "What about him?"

Hiromi looked over at him with wide eyes. "I ran into him just before you saved me. I mean I literally ran into him. And he didn't seem all that nice and friendly toward others."

Inutaisho closed his eyes again. "I have two retainers that not only were loyal to me but to him and Sesshomaru as well. And according to them they both turned out to be really good guys after you got to know them. And the smell of that Naraku was in the area so he was probably chasing that scent at the time."

Hiromi now leaned against a tree across the clearing away from him, but faced him. He was the great and powerful demon Lord Of The West. She half smiled as she looked down at her lap. "I mean no disrespect however with Sesshomaru's reputation. I do not know how he could be all that good of a guy."

Opening his e yes he gave her an odd look. "I smelled you with Inuyasha. I knew you ran into him before you told me. You didn't notice how one of the humans smelled?"

Hiromi was confused now. "What are you talking about. There were three females in the group, which one are you talking about?"

It was Inutaisho who was the one who was really confused now. "I don't know what she looks like. But the one called Kagome. She is Sesshomaru's mate. His scent clearly mixed with hers."

"What?"

"You didn't know did you?"

"Sesshomaru mated a human?"

"Your nose didn't tell you that? Are you okay?"

Hiromi sighed as she dropped her head. "No. No it didn't."

"Why not? Did something happen when you were a pup?"

Hiromi saw that he wasn't going to let it go and she was going to have to tell him at some point. She dropped her head with a sigh. "This is the last night for a while that I will be a half breed."

Inutaisho arched an eyebrow. "Really? How can you be a half demon now and not be one tomorrow?"

Hiromi had to smile at how he said what he did. She found it rather amusing that he fathered a half demon child, and yet didn't know that all half demons have a time of weakness when they are human, or some just turn into a hideous creature. "I forgot that you just said you died before Inuyasha even saw his first sunrise. You see every half breed, no matter what kind has a time when they are weak. Some turn human for a time, other's are that lucky."

"And that explains why you didn't smell that about my son how?"

"I will be human starting at sunset tomorrow and will remain so for the durration of the full moon."

Inutaisho stared at her with wide eyes. "You transform for about a week once a month into a human?"

"Yes."

With a distant look in his eyes Inutaisho looked down at the ground and sighed. "I wonder when or how long Inuyasha's lasts? Or if he turns human at all?"

"I do not know."

Smiling he looked up at her and gave a nod toward the ground. "Well you obviously had a long day. You should get some rest. I am not tired in the least and will keep watch over you tonight."

Hiromi starred at him like he had ten heads. "I don't get it. Why would a demon as important and powerful as you waste your time with me? Especially one that isn't one of your own?"

Inutaisho smiled a warms mile at her. "I got a soft spot for all half demons. After all I did die to defend my son who was one and his human mother. And I know that if my son was ever in a situation like you are in, I would want someone like me to take the time to make sure nothing happened to him. Just like I am you."

Hiromi half smiled at him as she laid over and curled into a ball. She snuck one last look at this great and 'terrible' demon lord. He was by far the most handsome male that she had ever seen. Of any race! But there was something different about him. And not just that he reminded her of her father. Or that he has a soft spot for half demons. It was something else altogether. And all of the sudden spending more time with him, didn't seem that bad. It actually sounded like something that she wanted to do now, just to get to know him better.


	7. Chapter 7

Hiromi smiled as she once again found herself hanging off of the back of Inutaisho as he bounded through the trees. She was still human and normally would cling like crazy to her father, and yet with him she didn't feel that need to cling to him. She felt safe, protected completely. Even from her deranged brother.

But she was pulled from her thoughts when she felt herself falling from the trees with him. She looked over his shoulder when he landed and saw some in a baboon costume standing in front of them. "Who is that?"

She didn't know what it was. But just to look at him made her heart race and fear shoot through her. Something told her that he was even more dangerous than her brother was. And she didn't like it.

Inutaisho glared. He didn't think that Naraku would mess with him since he hadn't done anything since he got back but track his pups. "What is it that you want with me Naraku? I have no quarrel with you."

Naraku glared as he smiled. This was truly a cold hearted demon. 'He is standing face to face with the very demon that wants to kill both of his mutts and yet he acts like he doesn't care.' "Amazing. Truly amazing."

"What is?"

"That you know who I am. And I am sure you know that my goal is to kill both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, and yet you won't even lift a finger to me."

"What exactly should it matter to me? My sons started the fight with you not me. They will follow it through and I will not step in regardless." His glare was lit with fire and he was tense however. 'How I wish I could rip your head off. You should know better than to threaten a dog demons pack right to his face.'

Naraku laughed. "I plan on making it your business. Since going by what is hanging off of your back, you still have a love for humans. That I just can't stand." Then he opened his robe to reveal a sleeping child that he let drop to the ground with an evil smile when he heard the growl that he got for it.

Looking up at Inutaisho he smile turned to a look of pure joy when he saw the rage flashing in his amber eyes. "Here is the deal. You show me the might of the great Lord Inutaisho and I will let the human on your back take the girl and go to Sesshomaru and his human mate. Or I kill her now and let your son find the pieces of her dead body. Even his sword wouldn't be able to bring her back."

Inutaisho glared then there was a gust of wind that caused Naraku to cover his eyes. Using the speed that he was known for he got the child and took her and Hiromi to a cliff and was back in front of Naraku before he could see straight. 'Fool does not know who he is dealing with.' "I do not agree. My pups will show you the might of my bloodline. And you won't hurt the girl."

Naraku glared as he laughed. "Right, the girl is dead!" He raised his hand and then looked down only to gasp. The girl was gone! In the few seconds of wind when he couldn't see anything he got the brat away from him! "Damn you!" But when he looked up the dog wasn't there anymore! "Damned old dog. I will find a way to force you into a fight. One way or another."

x

Hiromi sat under the fluff that hung from Inutaisho's back with wide eyes as she listened for him to say her name. Holding the young child in her arms. She knew he was fast but she didn't know he was that fast. In just seconds he moved her and the child out of harms way and was no doubt back before the wind died down.

A slight moan pulled her from her thoughts as she looked down with a smile at the little girl. She wasn't waking up yet but she wasn't badly hurt either. She was just unconscious.

Inutaisho landed on the cliff far enough away from Hiromi so that he would not scare her as he sighed. "Hiromi." He watched as the fluff was thrown away from her and the girl and she turned a smile to him. His heart did a flip flop in his chest as his breath was caught in his throat.

She was stunning as a half demon, and as a human. The only difference other than the ears, were her eyes. As a half demon she had bright, crisp emerald green eyes. And as a human her eyes were as bright and blue as the clearest sky.

He shook his head slightly as he looked over his shoulder. "I can't smell my pups and Naraku is gone out of the area as well. Damn him anyway! I didn't want them to know this soon. Now I have to let them know sooner than I had hoped for."

Hiromi smiled up at him as he turned back and looked at her. "It truly isn't that bad now is it?"

"I guess not. How is she?"

"Except for a bump on the head she is fine and should be waking up soon."

Inutaisho nodded as he looked up at the sky. It was going to be dark soon. With an annoyed growl he flopped down and leaned against a tree. "First light we will take my cloud and find Sesshomaru and Inuyasha."

Hiromi looked at him odd. She had been with him about a week now and whenever they traveled he jumped through the trees and ran. He never used a cloud to go anywhere at all. "What do you mean by 'your cloud'?"

Inutaisho laughed softly as he looked into her blue eyes again. 'Mesmerizing.' "I forgot all the time even before I died when Inuyasha was born, wolves don't have them. All dog demons have a demon cloud that we can call on and fly through the sky."

Hiromi smiled and giggled. "I can't wait to see it. There is much about this world that I don't know or understand just yet. My father was extremely overprotective and I was only allowed to leave then den or the valley it was in with him."

Inutaisho smiled a warm smile at her as he put his arms behind his head. "If you stay with me, after Naraku is gone, and the threat that I have to help the pups with. I will show you some of the most amazing things you have ever seen."

Hiromi cursed the fact that she was human now. She knew she was blushing and that her cheeks showed it off very well. She bowed her head so that he could not see the red on her face and smiled. "I could not. I couldn't ask that of you when I have already imposed on you long enough."

Inutaisho's eyes went wide as he looked at her. "You are not imposing at all." Then a thought hit him that scared him. 'She was planning on leaving in the morning.'

He turned serious as he looked at her with piercing eyes. "You were planning on leaving in the morning once you turned half demon again weren't you? Before Naraku and having to take her back to Sesshomaru."

Hiromi bowed her head even more as tears burned her eyes. "I was."

Inutaisho was sitting straight and tall now with one arm laid over his knee. "It is a shame. I really enjoyed your company and was looking forward to having it longer than a week."

Hiromi looked up at him with shock and pain in her eyes. "Are you telling me the truth? I don't see how any decent demon could want me around. I am a half breed, and weak. I can't believe..." But she was cut off when she felt a hand on her cheek. She looked up into his hypnotic eyes with her own.

She knew her face was a flame with a blush. Her heart was racing. Her mind was spinning with him so close. But her body wouldn't move!

Inutaisho didn't realize himself what he was doing until after he had done it. He now knelt in front of her with his hand softly on her cheek. "I do not see you as weak. You are alive and in a world that is cruel to half demons. That makes you strong in my eyes. And I truly do enjoy having you with me. Please, stay with me?"

Rin rolled her head as she slowly opened her eyes with a soft moan. When her eyes were all the way open she gasped. Her head hurt like crazy but she thought that she was looking up at Sesshomaru. But it wasn't Sesshomaru, he was different. "Lord Sesshomaru?"

Inutaisho and Hiromi were drawn from each other when they heard the child say Sesshomaru's name. He looked own at her and had to smile. Her look was one of wonder and amazement rather than one of fear.

Inutaisho stood up and smiled down at her. "Nope. I am not Sesshomaru but I do know him very well."

Rin smiled as she jumped from Hiromi's arms and was now looking up at him with bright eyes. "How is it that you know my Lord so well?"

Inutaisho laughed as he knelt down and looked her in the eyes. She showed him no fear at all and she didn't even know who he was. 'Strange.' "Well you see I am his and Inuyasha's father."


	8. Chapter 8

Rin's smile faded as she turned more serious. "How could you be their father? Lord Sesshomaru told me about how you died saving Inuyasha and his mama."

Inutaisho smiled at the little girl. "Well little one I did. But a miko named Midoriko told me that I get to come back to life. So here I am."

Rin could only stare at him for a moment. He had the same eyes as Sesshomaru. Then she smiled and laughed. "That is great! My name is Rin and it is very nice to meet you. Are you going to go find Lord Sesshomaru and Inuyasha? And why am I with you anyway?"

Inutaisho raised his hand to stop any more questions as the child sucked in another wild breath. He smiled and laughed as he looked at her. "I wasn't going to just yet, but when I came across a demon named Naraku and he had you that sort of changed. I rescued you from him and now I will see to it that you are back with Sesshomaru."

Rin gasped then dipped her head down to hide the tears that built in her eyes. "I am sorry that you had to save me. I really hope that Sesshomaru and Kagome won't be cross with me. I must have strayed too far while looking for food."

Inutaisho's smile faded as he reached out and dropped his hand on her head. "They may be cross, but it won't last long and you will be forgiven. I am sure of it."

Rin turned her tear filled eyes up and pleaded with his. "You are sure? I don't want to ever have Lord Sesshomaru disappointed in me. He saved my life and I always want to make him proud to repay him for that."

Inutaisho laughed as he moved back to his tree and sat down. "So long as you think like that I am sure that you will always make him proud."

Rin giggled as she wiped the tears from her face. "That sounded like something that Lord Sesshomaru would have said to me." Then she turned to the human girl that she was standing next to her with an odd look. "May I ask who you are? I have a feeling that I know you from somewhere but at the same time I do not?"

Hiromi smiled at the little girl. She was absolutely adorable. "Well you do know me. You saw me about seven days ago. I am the hanyou that ran into Inuyasha that day."

Rin gasped as her eyes went wide. "I remember you now. You said that your name was Hiromi. Why did you run away from us like that? No one would have hurt you."

Hiromi gave her another awkward smile. From what Inutaisho had told her, he was told that Sesshomaru was nowhere near like he used to be before Inuyasha was born. And the way that this small girl put him up on a pedestal she had to think that they were right. That he wasn't the killer he used to be anymore. "Well I was looking for someone and I wanted to hurry."

"Was that someone you were looking for Lord Sesshomaru's father?"

Hiromi didn't know what to say on that one. She looked around the little girl and gave Inutaisho an unsteady glance then smiled awkwardly. Glad when he took the girls eyes off of her and back onto him.

Inutaisho smiled as he called the girl over to him. "My name little one is Inutaisho. And she was looking for a friend and got into trouble and I saved her."

"Much like you saved me Lord Inutaisho?"

Inutaisho smiled. "Please, just Inutaisho. No Lord on my name."

Rin giggled again as she stood next to him. "I heard you ask Hiromi if to stay with you." Then she turned and ran back to Hiromi. "Are you going to stay with him? If he is anything like Lord Sesshomaru he will always protect you."

Hiromi smiled at her. "I will for a little while. But I do not know how long right now." But the thought of leaving caused her to curse her human blood. Spending the last seven days and nights with someone as charming as Inutaisho was not doing her any good. He has already lost her heart to him and didn't know how to tell him or if she wanted too. But at the same time knew that if she did it would only be a one sided love.

Someone like him, while he had a soft spot for hanyou cause he had a hanyou son, mating with a hanyou or even caring for one more than a child she was sure out of the question. He was known as the greatest and strongest demon lordi that had ever lived! Why would he waste his time caring for a hanyou like her.

Inutaisho saw that far off look in her eyes again and wondered what she was thinking about so often the last few days. But hearing a squeal from the little made him jump and turn toward her with a start. He smiled as he watched her run toward some fruit. He turned to Hiromi with a grin. "You know you should have some too. It has been a while since the last time you ate."

Hiromi started to say that she was fine, but then she ducked her head with a gasp when her stomach growled, rather loud. "I guess I am just a little." Then jerked a shocked look up at Rin when she saw fruit being dumped in her lap.

Rin giggled as she went back to the berries. "Kagome does the same thing all the time. But she never goes to get any food either so I always get enough for me and her to eat."

Hiromi smiled as she watched the little girl start singing to herself. "Thank you Rin." Then she popped a berry into her mouth and sighed. "She sure is a rare child isn't she?"

Inutaisho was leaning into his hand that he had propped up on his leg. "I know that. Most human children her age would run from a demon screaming. But she acted as if she was more comfortable around demons than humans."

Hiromi nodded. "She has a carefree way about her. When I was her age papa almost never left the den with me when I was human."

"Why was that?"

Hiromi's eyes took on a glassy look. "Whenever we would leave the den when I was human, it always ended up with papa fighting humans and running from them with me for the week until they saw me turn hanyou that eighth morning."

Inutaisho could hear the hurt in her voice and knew that she was once again cursing her human blood that ran through her. He really hoped that Inuyasha did not do that. He worried about that and about Hiromi, though he could not help but smile as he watched Rin. Then he thought of a way to change the subject. "You know I always wanted a daughter one day."

Hiromi looked at him odd as she swallowed the last berry. "Why is that? Most males I have ever known, youkai, human or hanyou all talk about having sons only."

Inutaisho winked at her. "Well that may be true. But like I have said more than once this week, I am not like most males. At one point I even hoped that Inuyasha was a girl. I already had a son in Sesshomaru, he was to take my place as Lord of the West. So a daughter was going to be perfect. With no obligation."

"Really?"

"Hai. Now do not get me wrong, I was proud to see Inuyasha sitting in his mother's arms as my son. Just as I would have been had he been a girl."

Hiromi giggled. "You really do prove more and more each day that you are not like most. And you are far from old by youkai standards. You may yet find another mate that will give you a daughter one day." Then yawned as she covered her mouth with her hand.

Inutaisho smiled. "You are tired. Go ahead and get some sleep. I will watch over the girl and you both."

Hiromi kept her face hid under her bangs. "I am tired."

"Here."

Before she could stretch out and get comfortable his one word statement caused her to look up with wide eyes. He was standing there holding his mokomoko out to her. She looked up at him with an odd look as she arched her eyebrow.

Inutaisho kept it offered to her as he looked into her eyes. "Take it." When she took it he smiled. "The ground here is harder than the soft grassy areas I would stop before. You can use this to be comfortable."

"But what about you? What are you going to sleep on?"

Inutaisho pointed toward Rin. "She doesn't seem like she is ready to sleep yet. So I am going to stay up with her."

Hiromi watched as without another word he stood and walked toward the little girl. She then curled up in his mokomoko and watched him with her. He would make someone a wonderful mate again one day. And she just knew that he would have another pup that would be a daughter. 'And he will be the most wonderful father to her. I just know it.'


	9. Chapter 9

Sesshomaru and Kagome rode on A-Un as they searched the area for Rin. Kagome has tears streaming down her face from the worry over the little girl. Since she came through the well to this time, and met Sesshomaru and the little girl, she has been more of a daughter to her than anything! She didn't know what she would do if she were to ever lose her and Shippo.

She cast her eyes down as more tears spilled from her eyes. She might have already lost one of them. They had been searching for two days and all of last night as well. And nothing! "Where is she?"

Sesshomaru lowered his lips to the top of her head. "We will find her. Don't worry so much."

Kagome sniffed. "I can't help it! I feel like part of me is gone without her. You, her and Shippo are everything to me."

Shippo had been riding with Sango and Miroku when he heard what she said. He smiled as he jumped over and grabbed hold of Sesshomaru's mokomoko. "Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru turned around and picked the kit up by his clothes and dumped him in Kagome's arms. He smiled when he saw her smile at him as they hugged each other. "We will find her itoushiii. We will…." Then his words trailed off as his eyes grew wide.

Kagome turned and looked up at him as she arched an eyebrow. "Sesshomaru are you alright?"

Sesshomaru looked past her and straight ahead. Coming at them, and at a very rapid pace was Rin. But the smell of who she was with was what had him startled. It was his father's scent! "This has to be an illusion."

Kagome glared. "What?"

Inuyasha jumped from a tree and landed on A-Un's back right behind him. "Who the hell is that Sesshomaru? I know I know it but I don't remember it. And Rin."

Kagome's eyes went wide and she gasped. "You smell Rin! But who is she…..with?"

Sesshomaru's eyes scanned the horizon for what he hoped was a bad joke or an illusion. But the closer that they got to the smell the stronger it was. "According to scent she is with mine and Inuyasha's father right now."

Inuyasha growled down at him. "That isn't possible. You and mother told me that he died the night I was born after he saved us from Takemaru."

Sesshomaru nodded. "He did. If this is not a specter then that would mean that he is back. But, I do not know who would resurrect a youkai like him?"

Kagome looked up at him with an annoyed glare. "Maybe because of good behavior. I know you say he was a great and terrible youkai. But so were you before Inuyasha, me and Rin."

Sesshomaru nodded. "The closer he gets the stronger the smell. And the hanyou form before is with them as well." He narrowed his eyes when he saw something on the horizon. Then he gasped and his eyes really went wide. It was him! "He has been raised from the dead. He has been brought back."

Kagome's eyes went wide as she looked at him. "Your father?"

"Hai."

Turning she looked toward the horizon. Cursing her human sight. She wanted to see Rin! After a few moments she saw something. It was a great white cloud that was moving right toward them. It reminded her of Sesshomaru's demon cloud. "Is that them?"

"Hai." Then without warning he dove A-Un toward a clearing. He kept his eyes on his father as he did the same thing. Once he landed he was off of A-Un and glaring with Kagome in his arms. When his father landed he growled. "Why are you back and where is Rin?"

Inutaisho smiled as he looked behind him. "Well that is a rather complicated story huh Rin."

Rin looked up at him then realized they weren't flying anymore. She scrambled up and looked over his shoulder then smiled as she jumped from his shoulder to the ground and few across the clearing to Sesshomaru and Kagome. "Lord Sesshomaru! Kagome!"

Kagome dropped to her knees and welcomed the little girl as she threw herself into her arms. "Oh Rin I was so worried! What happened?"

Rin looked up at Sesshomaru with tears in her eyes. "I went to go look for berries while everyone was still asleep and you were gone. I must have went too far. I saw them, then everything went black. Next thing I remember I woke up with Hiromi holding me and I saw your father. But I didn't know he was your father until he told me, and now I am home."

Sesshomaru looked up at his father. "Who had her?"

Inutaisho kept his arm around Hiromi. He could feel her shaking and wanted to try to calm her down a little. "Naraku. Though getting her from him was simple enough. I doubt that he even noticed I moved before it was too late."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at him. "So Naraku is not a problem for us anymore?"

Inutaisho shook his head no. "Oh no, not going to happen pup. This is yours and Inuyasha's fight not mine. I wasn't getting into it at all. Only reason why I did something about it where Rin was concerned was cause I had been trailing along behind you. Just out of your nose range. I knew exactly who she was."

Kagome looked up at him with wide eyes. Except for the markings and that he wore his hair in a ponytail he and Sesshomaru were the spitting image of each other. But then what he said set in. "Why were you following us? And for how long?"

Inuyasha glared and growled from behind her and Sesshomaru. "And why are you even back?"

Inutaisho looked up and smiled when he saw Inuyasha. He had Izayoi's face and his eyes. "Well Inuyasha. I can answer her two questions and yours. I was brought back by some miko named Midoriko to help you with a demon that is going to rise up after Naraku. Don't know who it is, but I am not lifting a finger until then. And I wasn't going to show myself to any of you until then either. Until Naraku confronted me with her. I wasn't just going to leave her."

Kagome looked back down at Rin and hugged her again. "And we are forever grateful that you didn't. I don't know what I would do if anything would have happened to her."

Sesshomaru noticed the hanyou in his arms and sighed. "How did you come across her? She was near where we were about a week ago."

Inutaisho looked down at her with a soft smile. "That will be a story to tell after little ones can't hear what is going on. Let's just say I saved her from someone and now she is going to be with me as we travel around."

Sesshomaru tensed. "With us?"

Inutaisho shrugged his shoulders. "I don't see why not. After all, you and Inuyasha are my pups. And I can't miss out on the chance to tell pup stories to your mate now can I? I am sure she would love to know all the stories about you as a pup."

Sesshomaru growled. "Leave."

Kagome glared over her shoulder. "He is your father and you haven't seen him in over 200 years would you be nice. And besides, your mother would tell me if I asked her to anyway. So I would hear them one way or another. Weather it is from her or him."

Sesshomaru turned his back on them and growled. "Fine. Whatever."

Kagome stood up and walked over to them. "Welcome to the family. My name is Kagome."

Inutaisho gave her a head bow. "It is an honor."

Rin was there next to her and giggled. "This is my brother Shippo! And that is Sango, Kirara, Miroku, and Kikyo!"

Hiromi nodded to everyone and then cast her eyes back down. "It is nice to meet you all again."

Sango stepped up next to Kagome with her arms crossed. "Kagome should we?"

Kagome giggled and nodded then before anyone could say anything she reached out and grabbed Hiromi by the hand. "We have spent the past two days looking for Rin and are in desperate need of a bath. Come on we can all get to know each other at the hot spring while Rin and Shippo swim around."

Hiromi just blinked at her as she was drug from Inutaisho and toward where the hot spring must be. "Uh okay."

Rin looked up at her with a big smile. "I am glad you are here Hiromi! I hope we all stay great friends!"

Hiromi walked along with Rin and the others with a half smile. She had never felt this welcomed other than with her father and the tribe. She thought that she could get use to this. But then again, there was Inutaisho. Should she really do this to herself. Or slip away the first chance that she gets. 'I don't know what to do.'


	10. Chapter 10

The day flew by in the blink of an eye for Hiromi. Kagome, Sango and Kikyo were all very welcoming to her and Rin was the one who talked to her most. She marveled over how the young girl seemed to worship the very ground that Sesshomaru and Kagome walked on. And that shocked them even more than anything.

But sitting there watching them all in the evening made her heart ache even more for two things that she could never have. She watched Sesshomaru and Kagome with Rin and Shippo. It reminded her of her father and her mother with her. Sesshomaru sat next to Kagome with his arm around her while she read some strange story to them.

Then if she turned her head slightly, the demon slayer and the monk were by another tree. He was leaned against the tree and she was on her back with her head in his lap. They smiled and talked quietly and any fool could see they were in love with each other. The same with Inuyasha and Kikyo up in a tree on the edge of camp. The dog hanyou was a hard ass all day, but now that he is up a tree alone with his mate you could see the change in him.

A small glance at Inutaisho and she felt her heart shatter. He had a pleased and content look on his face as he sat next to her and watched first Sesshomaru with his pack, and then Inuyasha and his mate. She cast her eyes back down as she was reminded again that he was far too good for her. And was only with her right now cause of who her father was.

It didn't really matter what he said. How could someone like him ever feel anything strong for someone like her. 'I am just torturing myself staying here. I can't do this!' Then without warning she jumped up and ran from the camp.

Inutaisho felt her move and gasped as she fled the camp pulling all eyes toward her. "Hiromi." Then he was on her scent in an instant. He was actually shocked at just how fast she was when she was in her hanyou form. "Hiromi!"

Hiromi could just faintly hear him. But she had to keep running. She hoped that he would get the picture and that she didn't want to stay anymore. She didn't know what her heart could take! She ran though some bushes only to scream when she was lifted into the air by her throat. She opened her eyes as they went wild. She was in the hands of a demon bigger than she had ever seen before! He was even bigger than her father's wolf form! "What have I done? Someone help me!"

The demon holding the girl laughed. "I am Kagaromaru. I am the younger brother to a demon that Inuyasha fought not so long ago. You can try and try to get away but I will know what you do the second you think of it."

"Let her go."

Hiromi gasped at the venom in Inutaisho's voice when she heard him. She turned her eyes and gasped as he stood there with both katanas drawn. Judging by his stance she could tell that he was just seething anger as he glared at the demon that held her. His eyes bleeding red. He was beyond angry at this point. "Help me!"

Kagaromaru laughed as he held Hiromi out and gave her neck a squeeze that made her cry out in pain. "I will not let her go. I will be eating her as soon as you are dead. If you think you can save her go ahead and try. Your son killed my older brother and I have the same power as his. Right now you are thinking of all the different ways to get this hanyou out of my grip."

Inutaisho was fighting his inner demon to keep control so he could save Hiromi. Then he was going to ask her why she ran like that. But he did know now that she was so much more to him then someone to keep him calm. "So you read minds huh."

"Exactly."

Inutaisho smiled as he gave way just enough to let his eyes go red. "I was once known as the strongest demon of all time. Here is how I got that name!" Then he let his rage take over as he charged.

Kagaromaru smiled as he watched him run at him. "I will know what you think before you do it!" He focused on Inutaisho as he stepped aside and laughed. But then he registered what the dog was saying in his mind. 'Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.' "How are you doing that? How can you act without thinking first!"

Inutaisho showed no expression as he flew in and sliced his hand off that held Hiromi, then snatched her and turned with her behind him. Feeling her shaking against his body made him growl even harder as his K-9's grew slightly. "You will regret touching her." Then let loose a volley of flames that flew at the demon in great numbers and speed. Once he was engulfed in flame, Inutaisho sheathed that katana and then used his ice one. "Ice Shards." Then gave a mighty thrust forward.

Hiromi looked from behind him and gasped at what he did. 'He truly is stronger than I will ever know.' Then she fell to the ground in a crying heap. "I am so sorry."

Inutaisho turned and was instantly calm when he saw her crying on the ground. He sheathed his katana and knelt beside her. "Why did you run like that Hiromi?" then he gathered her in his arms as he sat down on ground.

Hiromi turned and cried into his chest. "Many things."

Rubbing her back Inutaisho sighed as he rested his forehead on the top of her head. "Like what? I was worried when you left like that. Seeing you in the hands of that demon nearly made me lose control."

"Why? I am nothing but a hanyou wolf female. So far down on the totem pole that it isn't funny. Why would someone like you worry one second over someone like me? And don't tell me because of Inuyasha either."

Inutaisho sighed as he continued to rub her back. "Partly it is Inuyasha. I was not going to stand by and watch you die that day. I don't care what you or your brother think about it. But you haven't noticed it have you?"

"Noticed what?"

Inutaisho smiled as he kissed the top of her head. "You have become so much more to me than just the hanyou that I protect. So much more."

Hiromi held her breath. "But not enough to ma….." but she could not finish the word before she was a mess of sobs again.

Inutaisho smiled as he looked down at her. That was her problem. Being half human when her demon came out to want to claim something as her own, it came out as stronger emotional feelings like her mother would have had. 'I wonder if Inuyasha is like that or if he has an inner demon like me and Sesshomaru?'

He stood and held her in his arms as he called his cloud and they flew away from the scene of death. "I have something that I want you to see." Then he flew straight and fast, not giving her a chance to say she didn't want to see it. But if he was going to tell her that his demon was trying to claim her and see what she was going to do, she had to know that Megumi was not a threat to her. Nor was the memory of Izayoi.

Hiromi held onto him as tight as she could. This could very well be the last time that she would get to do such a thing. After what seemed like forever he stopped but still hovered in the air. When she looked she gasped when she saw a female walking out of the palace glaring. She smelled like Sesshomaru. 'I wonder if that is his mother? And why did he bring me here?'

Megumi glared up in the sky as she stepped out. "Why are you back? Don't think that I am going to welcome you back into my bed. We fulfilled our duties when I birthed Sesshomaru."

"Exactly. However as the father of your child it is my job to check on you when I can. Sure it has been a while, but now that I know no one has dared tried to kill you, I will be on my way."

Megumi scuffed. Then she glared again. "I thought that your human wench had a mutt male?"

Inutaisho glared, but with Hiromi in his arms he remained in control. This woman was so hard to deal with that he would have died before he made her his official mate. "She did. HIS name is Inuyasha."

Megumi growled as she bore her teeth. "I know that you bastard! Sesshomaru and I had it out all day on the day that he brought that little vermin home with him. And now a human mate to top it all off. I blame you for all of it! Your blood has made him go insane!"

Inutaisho sighed as he turned and took off. "Farewell Megumi."

Hiromi blinked as she looked up at him. "I thought that she was your mate?"

Inutaisho shook his head no. "I have never claimed anyone as an official mate yet. She was the only pup of a clan that was just as strong as my own. As an act of peace we agreed that she would birth my heir. Thankfully I got Sesshomaru on the first pup."

"Then Izayoi?"

"Izayoi will always be special to me. She was the human that changed my mind about them. Before her I would kill human or half demon or even other demons and not think twice about it. Then I met Izayoi. I fell in love with her, but she was never my mate."

Hiromi cast her eyes down. "Do you think you will ever find a mate?" 'Idiot! You fool why did you just ask him that?'

Inutaisho smiled as he made her look up at him with her green and red puffy eyes. "I do believe that is what is going on here."

"What do you mean?"

Inutaisho held her close with one arm as he flew through the sky and cupped her cheek in another. "I do believe that is what is going on with you. I would have been angry and defeated that demon for either Megumi or Izayoi. Megumi is the mother of my eldest pup. And Izayoi was dear to me in so many ways and mother to my youngest pup. However when I saw him holding you like that, it was my inner demon that wanted to rip him to shreds. That has never happened before."

Hiromi was wide eyed as tears still streamed down her face. "You mean you think that your demon wants to….."

"That's right. And I am not going to fight it on this one." Then without warning he dipped his head and caught her mouth in a gentle yet demanding kiss.


	11. Chapter 11

Hiromi gasped as her body tensed the second that his lips touched hers. Then it was as if she was swept away on a cloud of bliss her eyes drifted shut and she melted into his arms and returned the kiss. She had butterflies in her stomach and was slightly shaking now. When he pulled his lips from hers she fell into his chest with a gasp and a sigh.

Inutaisho smiled as he cradled her in his arms. "Now let me guess, you don't have an inner demon do you?"

"Inner demon?"

"I didn't think so. Well, most that have them are full demons and the ones that really rear their heads are the ones that belong to demons that mate for life. Like wolves for instance."

Hiromi looked up at him through her still slightly swollen eyes. "Wolves? But father mated twice. Once with Hiroshi's mother and then with mine."

Inutaisho settled down on a bluff that had a clear view of Mt. Fuji and stood her on the ground in front of him. "Even with those that mate for life, they have their differences. Dog demons like me, once a mate is taken, even if that mate dies, we will never take another mate as long as we live. The same with Falcon and Hawk demons. But wolves, think about a pack of wolves that aren't lead by demons like your father. When the alfa female is taken out, the alfa male has to ensure that his pack grows and is protected so he takes another female from his pack and she becomes the alfa female."

"I get that. But not sure what all this has to do with us right now?"

"You are half wolf. I am sure you have an inner demon though, because your mother is human when your demon show's it's head, it is an over run of human emotions. That is why you have been on the roller coaster the last few days isn't it?"

Hiromi ducked her head and tightened the grip that she had on him. "Did I show it that much?"

"I felt it. Soon you will start to feel what my emotions are as you stop fighting your own."

Hiromi felt the tears welling up in her eyes as she once again buried her face in his chest. "I didn't think that someone like you would have bothered with someone like me. I couldn't tell what you were feeling and it scared me. I didn't want to have my heart broke again."

Inutaisho sighed as he wrapped his arms around her. "Give it to me and that won't happen again."

Hiromi looked back up at him with tears streaming down her eyes. She couldn't believe that she was about to ask him this but she had too. "Are you sure? You won't regret it in a few years and then hate me cause you are stuck with someone you no longer see like that?"

Inutaisho ran the back of a clawed hand down her face. "How could I regret someone like you? You were the one that was strong enough and sweet enough to call out my inner demon." Then he seared her mouth with his own again. This time crushing her body to his with a low growl.

Hiromi gasped but then once again melted into his arms as she returned the kiss. She let her hands trail up and wrap around his neck as she strained to get closer to him. She didn't know what he was doing to her but she knew that the feeling of needing more was coming from him. When he lifted her in his arms and moved so that he was laying her on the ground she groaned into his mouth. There was no way that she could say no to him. There was no way that she would say no to him.

x

Izayoi smiled as she looked down through the clouds at the only man that would ever hold her heart. Though seeing where they were going she now turned and walked away from the edge. A single tear falling from her eye.

"You sure that you are alright with this?"

Izayoi looked up and smiled at the miko in front of her. "I am sure. This is what is best for all of them so I am content with that. And content with seeing that he is finally taking a mate."

"Then why the tear? Is it hearing the truth that while he did love you he was not going to mate you?"

Izayoi smiled as she looked up. "No. It is a tear of joy"

"Joy?"

Izayoi nodded as she walked on past the miko. "My son has the love of his life, a wonderful big brother. His father is back in his life and Inutaisho will now have a mate and hopefully the daughter that he told me at one point he wished Inuyasha was. I have no reason to be anything but happy for them all."

Midoriko watched as she walked on away. She then turned and looked over the edge of the clouds. But to a very different demon that wasn't far from where Inutaisho and Hiromi are. "I wonder if she will still be saying that when she realizes what sort of danger all three of them are going to be in within sooner than they all think it will happen? The chances of Inutaisho making it out of this battle alive are nonexistent. So if he is going to get his daughter before he dies again and goes back to hell, he better reach that goal soon with Hiromi."

With a bright smile, and tear filled eyes Izayoi turned and looked at Midoriko. "I would not say such things Midoriko. Inutaisho is not your ordinary demon. He will not die so easily this time. He would have lived through the fire the night he saved me if not for just fighting with the dragon."

Looking back at her Midoriko blinked. She knew that he was going to die again. Not long after Hiromi gave birth to his daughter. But there was something in the woman's eye that said she knew something that Midoriko herself did not.

x

Hiroshi growled as he stood at the base of the mountain. He could smell what was going on further up on the bluff. "That bastard!" He had hoped that he would have filled his fascination with hanyou with her after a few days and then sent her on her way. But no he had to mean what he said and kept her with him. "And now he has taken her as his mate. How the hell am I supposed to get her alone to kill her now!"

"The answer to that will be answered a few moon cycles away from now if you are willing to wait."

Hiroshi turned a glare behind him at the woman that stood behind him. "Who the hell are you?"

"I am someone who knows what the future holds. I know for a fact that by the time the leaves start to fall a battle will happen between Inutaisho's pups and the one known as Naraku."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"At that point, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha will kill Naraku and Sesshomaru's human mate will have made the Shikon no Tama whole again."

"And?"

The woman smiled and turned to walk away. "Naraku is nothing but a half demon who is lower than low. But he is strong. Just think of who you could beat if you were to have the power of the jewel to harness? Naraku is nearly invincible with it and he is nothing. He was all human once until he let demons take over his body. That doesn't actually even classify as a hanyou. You are stronger than he is right now. Imagine what you could do." Then she turned and walked away as she faded into nothing.

Hiroshi could only stare in the direction that she left in. The jewel would make him stronger. Maybe even the strongest demon in all the lands. Then he gasped and grinned an evil grin. "I don't know who that woman was, but she just sealed that dog generals fate. I will show him what happens to those that have hanyou kids and protect them. Just like I showed father."


	12. Chapter 12

Hiromi slowly woke up as the sun kissed her face. When she started to sit up but was stopped by an arm tightening around her waist she gasped. A warm smile crossed her face as she remembered what happened last night. She looked over her shoulder to find Inutaisho laying there behind her.

"Sleep."

Hiromi giggled as she rolled in his arms to face him with a smile. "We can't sleep here forever."

"Sounds appealing to me."

"As it does me, but you know we can't."

Inutaisho growled as he cracked his eyes open. "Who says?"

"Well I don't think Rin will be happy when she wakes up this morning and we are gone. Especially after my little stunt last night."

Sighing he let her up to dress as he did the same. "I think once you explain to her why she will understand. She is a child like I have never seen before."

Hiromi nodded as she tucked in her haori. "That is for sure. Most children her age, when in the presence of any demon or hanyou would run away scared. But she acts as if she belongs with us."

Then she gasped when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to his chest. She smiled up at him as she rested her hands on his shoulders. "What?"

Inutaisho let himself get lost in those green eyes. He had never seen anything like them in all his long years. "Nothing. I just wanted to hold you."

Hiromi could feel the blush on her cheeks as she cast her eyes down then back up. But she didn't know what to say or do. She still felt like a pup again. But for the first time since her father's death she felt safe too.

Inutaisho dipped his head and caught her mouth in a gentle kiss. "Come. We should get back to the others. As you said, Rin will be worried."

Hiromi nodded. "Ummmm, so, since I can smell the difference on me and you, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha will know won't they?"

"And every other demon that comes in the range to smell either of our scents."

She cast her eyes down and then back up to his again. "That means my brother will know?"

"He will know that you are beyond his reach now and forevermore. End of story."

"But I know him he will….."

"Not touch you. Both dogs and wolves mate for life. But the bond with a dog goes much deeper than a wolf as I told you last night. Your brother knows this."

"But if he did get me."

"Then I ask that you forgive me for killing your brother. I don't care who it is, anyone who threatens you deals with me. Someone like your brother, whom I know only wants to kill you, would send me into a rage like the world has never seen."

Hiromi let silent tears stream down her face as she buried it into his chest. "Thank you. Since papa died, I had not felt like anyone cared. It is a wonderful feeling to know that I have someone who cares again."

"And I will love you until the end of time Hiromi. You are so much more to me than just my mate. You are my other half, the one that was made to complete me. That goes so much deeper than just simply saying that we are soul mates, mates or in love."

Hiromi smiled as she tiptoed and kissed him gently. "And I love the feeling."

"Good. Come, we need to get back."

"Inutaisho!"

Hiromi flinched and gripped his clothes as she gasped. "It's Hiroshi!"

Inutaisho tightened his grip on her as he glared over the side of the cliff. "Come on. Lets get this over with."

Hiromi shot startled eyes up to him. "You are going down there?"

"We are. I will never take chances when you are concerned. Come." Then without a word he lifted her into his arms and bounded down the side of the mountain. When he reached the base he came face to face with a fuming wolf.

"What business do you have with me?"

Hiroshi glared at him and the tender way he held his sister. "I see you chose a weak fool as a mate. The great dog demon has certainly lost his edge since he died and then was resurrected again."

"IF that is all you want I will be on my way."

"It isn't. I won't stop you know. Even if I die I will take her down. You can't stop that."

Inutaisho sent him a glare that caused him to visibly shudder. "Know this Hiroshi. And understand it thoroughly. They day you touch her is the day you die. But not her."

"She will die. Like I said, even if you strike me down the second later, she WILL die."

"You do not remember the stories your father told do you? Of how I could bring the dead back to life."

Hiroshi crossed his arms and laughed as he glared at the dog. "And you expect me to think that it is true? Are you serious?"

Inutaisho turned and started to walk toward his pups who were on their way toward him. "You can believe anything you want. But Izayoi was proof of what I could do."

"How is the human woman you father a hanyou with proof of you bringing the dead back?"

Stopping and giving him and evil smile over his shoulder he had to laugh at how the wolf flinched. "The day I died, so did she. However I used a sword and brought her back just before I died fighting Takemaru. He was the one who killed her by spearing her in the back." Then he turned back around and walked off.

Hiroshi glared after him. There was no way that was true. No demon had the power to bring the dead back to life unless they were a master of the Dark Arts. And he knew that he wasn't that. "He has to be bluffing."

Then he turned and went the other way. He would return to his pack and go on with life until the miko came back to tell him that it was time to go and get the jewel. Then he would kill not only Hiromi, but also Inutaisho and both his pups. "I will teach him to cross me. He will watch his entire pack die before I kill him."

Then he growled as he turned and glared in their direction again. "I do not need the power of the jewel to fight someone as weak minded as he is!" Then he turned and followed them. Determined to end it all with his own strength.


	13. Chapter 13

Sesshomaru stopped and starred with no expression at a bunch of trees. "Well then."

Kagome looked at him with a half glare. "What?"

"Father and Hiromi are mated."

Inuyasha blinked. Then turned around and glared. "I won't call her…"

"That is the last thing that I would expect from you Inuyasha. The only thing I do expect from you is that you respect her." Inutaisho walked with Hiromi next to him through the bushes. But something was wrong. He could still smell the fear that hung in the air around her, and the blood lust that he knew followed him.

With a heavy sigh he turned a glare over his shoulder. "You truly have a death wish."

Hiroshi stepped out from behind a tree and glared as his hand went to his sword with a growl. "You bastard."

Hiromi was shaking violently now. She clung to Inutaisho as if he was life itself as she waited for her brother to charge at them. 'Father!'

Inutaisho moved Hiromi out of his arms and put her behind him his glare darkening as he looked at the wolf. "Back off now Hirosho. I really don't want to have to kill Hiro's only son but if you insist on it. There will be no other way."

Hiroshi growled as he glanced from Inuyasha to Sesshomaru and then back to Inutaisho. "I will kill all three of you!"

Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow as he looked at the wolf then turned his back. "Your fight is with my father wolf. I will not interfere in it."

Inuyasha moved so that Kikyo was behind him with a glare. "Yeah. What the hell you trying to drag us into it for?"

Hiroshi glared right into Inutaisho's eyes. "That bastard decided that he was going to take my filthy sister as his mate. I will kill her. Erase all traces of human blood ever being in my pack with that!"

The sudden surge of rage that was in the air made even Sesshomaru flinch and jerk wide eyes to his father. "Kagome get Rin and get on A-Un. Monk you, the slayer, kit and Kikyo do the same thing. Now." As they did what he said he cautiously walked up to his father. "Father."

Inutaisho had his teeth clenched as his brow started to furrow and elongate. "Take her. Get her out of here."

Hiromi looked up as her hold on him tightened. "I am not leaving you!"

Sesshomaru kept his eye on his father as he gently pried her hands free then jumped just as the wolf charged to land on A-Un's tail. "He will be fine. You with me and mine is the only thing that is keeping him from truly going into a rage right now."

Hiromi watched as with ease Inutaisho deflected blow after blow of Hiroshi's sword with nothing more than his own demonic energy! "Please be careful."

Hiroshi smiled as he kept up with his weak attacks. The second that he knew that Inutaisho memorized his pattern he would deviate faster than them all and strike his sister down! He would see her dead!

Inutaisho growled as he felt his movements in the air. He knew he was planning something and was ready for it. And then it happened! He was going for Hiromi! Faster than anyone knew he was there kicking the wolf in his gut sending him flying back to the ground. "Your life is mine!"

Hiromi watched as her brother vanished into a cloud of smoke then the strong scent of lavender was everywhere. She kept her eyes in the smoke and waited for it to clear then sighed when it was Inutaisho standing there. She broke free from Sesshomaru's grip on her and fell through the sky and landed not far from him. Though his eyes were still slightly bleeding she ran to him anyway and threw herself into his arms, racked with sobs.

Inutaisho calmed the instant that she touched him and sighed as he wrapped her in his arms and looked up to Sesshomaru. "I am taking her and going to the palace. I know it is in ruins but that gives me something to do. All of you come to me when you are finally rid to fight Naraku. I will be there."

Sesshomaru nodded then watched as he flew off on his cloud with his new mate. "That was interesting."

Kagome nodded. Then she looked up at him with a smile. "Would you do the same thing if someone was trying to kill me?"

"That and then some. Father was holding back. Had he truly lost control, the world would have once again seen his true form."

x

Inutaisho flew as far away from the area as fast as he could go. Still feeling her shaking in his arms he sighed as he kissed the top of her head. "I am sorry for that itoushii. I tried to stay in control, but then when he went up for you, I lost it for a second."

Hiromi looked up at him with tears brimming her eyes. "I should be the one saying that I am sorry to you. IF not for me then you wouldn't be in this situation."

Inutaisho gasped as his eyes went wide. "Do you regre…."

Hiromi violently shook her head side to side. "I would never regret you. But I still can't help but feel like it is my fault that you are stuck with this. Because of what I am."

Inutaisho growled as he glared down at her now. "Would you stop saying stuff like that!? I don't care what you are. Hanyou, human, youkai. It doesn't matter to me. You were strong enough in will and spirit to call out my youkai. Only you. A beautiful, strong hanyou."

Half smiling she nodded. "Thank you. It will take me some time to get out of the habbit of talking down about being hanyou though. I have done it for so many years."

"Well that is something that we are going to have to get you out of the habbit of then isn't it."

Hiromi smiled as she once again laid her head on his chest with a heavy sigh. She was glad that he didn't see her as weak, but at the same time she knew she was. She couldn't shake the feeling though that one day, at the hands of her brother, she would die. 'After all there will be times when he won't be there to save me.' "Inutaisho?"

"What is it?"

Hiromi looked up into his golden orbs as he looked down into her green ones. "I want you to train me to fight. That way I won't be a burden to you or anyone else anymore."


	14. Chapter 14

Inutaisho smiled and nodded. "That can be arranged. It would do you some good not only will you be able to protect yourself, but you will grow in your self-confidence as well."

Hiromi smiled as she looked up into his gorgeous eyes. "Thank you my love."

Inutaisho smiled as he touched down in the middle of the ruins of what use to be at one point his castle. "This is it. At one point in time it was the palace of the Western Lord. Me. Now it is nothing but rubble."

"Didn't you tell Sesshomaru that we were going to repair it?"

"We are. And make it smaller as well. We won't need anything the size that it was at one point just for us. Sesshomaru has established his own palace somewhere else in the West."

"You are not going to take your title back?"

Inutaisho shook his head no as he walked up to a wall that was about to crumble and gave it a smack, sending it falling to the ground. "I do not wish to have that responsibility again. I want to live a life free form that." Then he turned and looked at her with a playful look in his eyes. "Do you really want me to? You would be Lady Of The West and we would hardly get to see each other."

"What do you mean?"

"When war would come, you would have to stay here and keep the palace safe while I went off to fight. It could take me away for years at a time. In the world of demons, wars happen a lot."

"No!"

Inutaisho laughed at her look then sighed. "Then we leave that to Sesshomaru and Kagome. While we stay here and raise a family of our own, without all that other stuff to worry about. Sound good?"

Hiromi dropped her head with a sigh but then looked up at him with a smile. "It sounds perfect!"

x

Over the next few hours, Hiromi and Inutaisho worked together to get what looked like nothing more than a hut together for them to stay in while they worked on clearing the rest of the ruble and then building a new home.

Hiromi now sat next to the fire making them something to eat. She looked over where he sat leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. As if he was sleeping. Then cast her eyes all around the little one room dwelling. A sense of pride filled her as she thought about her mother and if this is what it felt like for her and her father.

She had always dreamed when she was a little girl about finding a mate to cook and clean for and be the mother of his pups. And now that she was doing just that she didn't know what to think of it. 'I do wonder if this is the same sort of contentment that mother felt when she would do this for father?'

"Something bothering you itoushii?"

Hiromi turned to see him starring at her intently now. She smiled as she looked back down at the food she was cooking. "I was just wondering if this is what my mother felt like when she did this with my father."

"If what feels like that?" He moved over to where he laid on his side behind her with his arm around her waist.

"Sitting here with you. In our own little place, no matter how dull and drab it is. Like this little hut we are in. Cooking for my mate, and just being together."

"This pleases you? Something this little?"

Hiromi nodded her head as she smiled at him. "It does so much. I grew up watching the females of my pack cooking for their mates and raising the pups. I always wanted something like that."

Inutaisho turned her to look at him again. "Then my original idea of a small place just for us and a few pups pleased you did it not?"

"Hai. Very much so." She looked back at the food as she stirred it. "I had worried that you would have wanted to take your title back. Then when you said that you didn't want it back, and chose me over being lord Of The West gain, my heart wanted to sing."

Inutaisho smiled as he sat up and once again made her look at him and then kissed her soflty. When he pulled his mouth from hers he looked intently into her eyes. "Always tell me what you feel. What you want. I do not want you to worry about anything. I will always be honest with you, and would like for you to do the same thing with me."

Hiromi nodded then before she could say anything he grabbed her and had her pinned under his body as he kissed her passionately. She sighed as she let her eyes close and wove her arms around his neck and her hands through his hair. Her life was perfect right now. Simply perfect! And she would fight to keep it. Even if it meant that she would one day have to either kill her own brother, or watch as her mate does.


	15. Chapter 15

Six months have passed, and with help of some demons that came to see if their noses were right or wrong about Inutaisho, they now had a palace to call their own. It was a little bigger than what she had in mind. Something the same size as the den she grew up in would have been perfect for her. But it wasn't as big as she thought it was going to be.

She looked around as she walked through the halls. It was small enough she could tend to it herself. It had a kitchen, dinning hall, Inutaisho had his own study, their large bedroom, and about six other bedrooms. Then there was the hot spring that they built it around. She loved it, but it still seemed unreal.

"Do you like it?"

Hiromi turned a bright smile to Inutaisho as he walked up to her. "I love it so long as I am here with you My Love."

"Perfect." He then dipped his head and kissed her gently. "You had me worried though. You were so lost in thought. I had thought that you were starting to regret your choice."

"That could never happen. Though, I don't understand why it is as big as it is."

Inutaisho lifted her into his arms and walked on down the hall. "Why not? We will need the extra rooms after all."

"What for?"

"Both of my son's have mates. There will be more pups soon."

"I hadn't thought of that."

"And me and you have to have at least one pup."

Hiromi gasped as she looked into his eyes, a lustful haze drifting over them. "You mean you really do want to have a pup with me?"

Laughing as he walked them into the hot spring he nodded. "Of course. As many as you will give me that is."

Hiromi sighed as he stood her on the floor. "There is a problem that I have with that though Inutaisho."

"What is that?"

"What if I can't have pups? What if I am destined to be barren?"

Hearing the despair in her voice made his heart ache. He hadn't thought of that. No one really knew if a half demon could father or bear a child. But even if he couldn't have children with her, and no grandchildren from Inuyasha, they would have Sesshomaru and Kagome's pups to spoil and he had her. "Pups or no pups I am content right here."

Hiromi looked up at him. Her green eyes filling with tears. "You are sure?"

"Very."

He then dipped his head and seared her mouth while one hand held her around the waist and the other slid up to tangle in her hair. When he started to lower her to the floor and she didn't protest he growled. The only reason for no pups would only be because of her being a hanyou, not for lack of trying.

x

The sun filtered into the room, landing on Hiromi's face pulling her from her slumber. She smiled as she looked down at the arm that was still around her waist and rolled in his arms to look at him. "Inutaisho?"

"Sleep. We have nothing to do today. Sleep."

Giggling she reached up and brushed his bangs out of his face. "Inutaisho. You know I can't sleep past the sunrise."

"Then that window is getting boarded up."

"Up."

Growling his disappointment he let her go and they both rose and dressed. He walked over to the window with a sigh. "Six months and nothing from them. I wonder if they are ever going to get it together and show what they can truly do."

Hiromi sighed as she half glared at him. "If it bothers you that much lets go find them and you can kick them in their behind and get them going."

Turning a sly smile to his mate he winked. "And miss out on our time at night together. No chance in hell."

Hiromi laughed as she headed for the door. "You have a good point on that one, but I have things that I want to do. I want to get myself in the habit of a schedule. First up, breakfast."

Inutaisho smiled as he watched her glide out. Her change in attitude and the way she carried herself has changed so much since that day that he first met her. It was like night and day. He then headed toward his study. He wanted to go over more of the old scrolls that were found and see what he could find. If anything could give a clue as to what this next demon they had to fight was all about.

Sitting in his study he looks up with an arched look as his mate walks in. "Food done already?"

Hiromi smiled and shook her head no as she sat down a cup of tea. "You usually call me and ask me to bring you tea not long after you come in here. I just thought that I would jump the beat on you."

"A mate that knows what I want before I ask. How can it get any better. Thank you itoushii." Then he watched as she glided out of his study. He went back to reading a scroll when he gasped and dropped his glass to shatter on the floor getting his pants soaked in tea. "Could it really be? So soon?"

But his nose was not playing tricks on him. There was a third scent in the palace, and it wasn't an enemy scent. It was one that mixed with Hiromi! He jumped up and over his desk and walked quickly toward the kitchen and stopped in the door. There was no doubt. In just a few months they would have a pup! He walked up behind her and spun her around, kissing her with a possessive passion.

Hiromi went weak in the knees the way he was kissing her. She didn't know what brought this on. When he finally pulled his face back from hers she was breathing heavy. "What is that for?"

"Our pup."

"Our pup? What are you talking about?"

Inutaisho smiled with a small laugh as he took her hand and laid it on her stomach. "Can't you smell it? There is a different scent that mingles with yours. Mine, and a third one."

Hiromi thought for a second, then smelled it. It was on her, no it was in her! She was going to have a pup! She looked back up at him with her eyes already filling with tears. "Is it true? I am pregnant? We are going to have a pup?"

"Yes my love. We are having a pup."


	16. Chapter 16

Unable to control her emotions Hiromi threw her arms around her mate and sobbed into his neck. She was so scared that she could not have a pup that knowing that one was already growing inside her was nearly more than she could bear. After a moment she pulled her head back and looked right into his amber eyes with a big smile. "I hope it is a girl."

Inutaisho smiled as he used a single hand to cup her face. "You could give me a thousand boys and it would be fine with me itoushii. I don't care what they are as long as they are with you."

Smiling and whipping tears from her eyes she stepped away from him. "This is wonderful news however I do need to finish breakfast. Pup or no pup I want to keep with my habits."

Inutaisho stole another quick kiss then smiled himself. "As you wish." Then he stepped back and as she seemed to glow as she went around the kitchen now. 'I do hope we have a daughter though. One that looks just like her mother.'

As he turned and headed back toward his study he smelled Totosai outside. Turning at the door into the gardens he growled. "Must you let that beast eat the flowers? Hiromi has worked hard on this garden."

Totosai reached over with his staff and bonked the cow on his head making him stop munching on the flowers. "We have come to see how the new palace is coming. This is a great start."

"This is it Totosai. I have no intentions on taking the title Lord Of The West again. I intend to spend the rest of this second chance at life with Hiromi and our pup."

Myoga jumped up and landed on his Master's cheek followed by that all to familiar slap. "Master she is after all a hanyou female. She may not be able to bear you any further children."

Inutaisho glared. "Use your damned nose flea. She is already pregnant. That is not the reason why you two are here is it? You didn't just come to see how the new palace is going did you. Come on out with it."

Totosai smiles as he looks up. "In about three months the boys will be here with their mates. They ended the final battle with Naraku and he is now dead. However with the exception of one shard that Kagome kept in her time at her house. Another demon swooped in and took the nearly complete shard of the Shikon Jewel."

"Another demon? Who or what?"

Myoga was now on his shoulder. "We don't know who it was. But they must have gotten over confident, because they dropped it before they could get away with it. However they tried, Lord Inuyasha and Lord Sesshomaru and even Kirara couldn't find a scent."

Inutaisho glared. "Damn it."

Totosai then sighed as he looked down. "Kagome was in near hysterics when it happened. She thought for sure that they were going to have to try again and defeat another seemingly invinsable demon to get it back. Kagome left the shard in her time as a connection to her family so that she can always go back. When whoever it was dropped it, she was to it and had it in her hands. She has gone back to her time to get the shard that she left there as a connection with her family. She is telling them of her choice and coming back here for good with it. What she plans on doing with the jewel she won't tell anyone."

Growling Inutaisho crossed his arms. "Least they got it back. If they will be here in three months how long is she planning on staying?"

Totosai arched an eyebrow. "It won't be for at least, at the very least two months. She plans on spending as much time with her family this time as she can."

"At least two months you say."

Myoga nodded. "Actually more like three months. It will take us a month to get there and a month back here. Even flying."

Inutaisho smiled this time. "Good. Then when you all get back I will be able to introduce my boys to their new brother or sister."

Before anyone could say anything else Hiromi walked out of the house with a smile and two cups of tea. "I thought I would bring tea." Stopping at her mate's side.

Taking a cup of tea he smiled as he slid his arm around her waist. "Thank you itoushii."

Totosai turned to the cow and jumped on his back. "Thank you for the offer Mistress however we must be going to inform the pups about Master's wishes now. Come on flea." Then he plucked Myoga out of the air as he headed for Hiromi and flew off.

Looking up at her mate with a odd look. "Those two are off aren't they?"

"You have no idea. However he did tell me what is going on with Sesshomaru and Inuyasha."

"What is that?"

"That the killed Naraku but before they could get the nearly complete jewel from him, another demon tried to take it. Thankfully he didn't."

"Nearly complete?"

"Apparently Kagome can do time travel and she kept a shard in her time." Then he laughed at what he just said and rubbed the back of his neck. "Three hundred years ago if someone told me that there was such a thing as time travel I would have told them they were insane. And now that I know you can come back from the dead, doesn't sound so odd to me."

Turning to fully face him Hiromi smiled as she reached up and ran a finger across one jagged stripe. "For what we both thought was impossible, I am grateful for."

"You are?"

Hiromi nodded her head as he sat the tea down and leaned into his embrace as he wrapped his arms fully around her. She laid her hands on his chest and looked up into his amber eyes. "Because if it were not possible to bring someone back to life as the heavens have done for you, I would be dead by my own brother's hand right now. Not blissfully happy with a mate who I know can and will protect me and a pup on the way."

"This is true isn't it?"

Nodding her head Hiromi smiled into his eyes. When he dipped his head and gently pressed his firm lips to her own she melted into his embrace. The would could not be more perfect for her than this moment in time. In the arms of the man of her dreams. And expecting her first pup!


	17. Chapter 17

Three months have flown by. And just as Sesshomaru, Kagome, Inuyasha, Kikyo and the others show up at their palace, Hiromi doubles over in pain and goes instantly into labor. Kikyo being the only one to have any experience with birthing children takes charge, as Sango and Kagome help keep Hiromi calm.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha are the ones that are outside the birthing room trying their best along with a barrier from Miroku to keep their father at bay. Though with every new scream from his mate it became harder and harder to keep him at bay.

"Father just calm down. You can feel her and she feels you. Do you really think that all this rage you are giving off is good for her?"

Pacing he racked his hand through his down hair as he growls. "I know that! Wait until Kagome births your first pup. I will make sure your own words come back and bite you in the ass!"

"Father!"

A quick glance at Rin and Shippo he smiled softly. "Sorry."

Then there is another loud scream followed by Kikyo telling her to push when the next contraction hit. All of them were still as they waited and listened.

x

Hiromi fell back against Kagome as she held her hand and Sango's. "This is not the welcome that I had imagined for you all." Then tensed as another painful scream came from her lips when another contraction hit her.

Kagome smiled down at her. "Don't worry about it. I am glad that it happened now and not before we got here. Now Sesshomaru and Inuyasha can see their new sibling same time Inutaisho does."

Kikyo also smiled up at her. "And this gives me hope for Inuyasha and myself. That one day we will have children. We were not sure if he could father a child. Most half demons we came across never did. But you are half as well. And a half k-9. I now have renewed hope."

Hiromi smiled then once again screamed as another wicked pain seared through her abdomen. "I loved being pregnant, but I can't wait for this pain to end!"

After checking one more time Kikyo smiled. "With the next contraction Hiromi bear down and push with everything you have. It is time to see if you have a son or daughter."

When the next pain hit her Hiromi ground her teeth together and pushed with all her might. Once. Twice. Three times. Then finally on the fourth time she felt something slide from her body followed by another pain. "Kikyo!"

Looking back down Kikyo gasp and quickly handed the first pup off to Sango in time to help the second one come into the world. "You have had twins. Twin girls."

After the second pup came through Hiromi smiled as tears ran down her face. "Girls? Really?"

Sango and Kikyo both walked up next to her and handed her one pup in one arm and another pup in the other arm. Kikyo then set to work cleaning her and removing the soiled bedding from beneath her. "Yes two beautiful little girls."

Hiromi looked first to the pup on her right side. She had her father's snow white hair and amber eyes. Though her stripe was the same emerald green as Hiromi's eyes and was as straight as Sesshomaru's. She looked to the pup on her left. She had her mother's coal black hair and emerald eyes, but her father's blue gagged stripe. "My girls."

Smiling as she reached out and let the white haired pup hold her finger Kagome wrapped another arm around Hiromi. "Congrats. What are you going to name them?"

Hiromi sighed. "Well we did decide on one girls name. We decided on Yuriko. After his mother."

Sango sat down on the other side and smiled down at them. "Well why not name the other one after your mother Hiromi?"

Thinking for a second she nodded. "This one. She will be Yuriko." Handing the white haired pup to Kagome. "And this one shall be named after my mother. Her name shall be Yume." Then she handed the black haired pup to Kikyo. "Will you both show them to their father for me? Normally a midwife would do it. But we thought we had more time cause of my human blood. A midwife was supposed to be here after I finished my human cycle."

Turning to look at her with an arched eyebrow Kagome couldn't help but ask. "When is your human cycle?"

Before she could answer the sun fully set and the only light in the room were the candles and oil lights. She pulsed and just like with Inuyasha, as if magic her eyes and ears changed, everything about her was human. "My human week starts tonight. Tonight is the first night of the full moon. I will be human for seven days and nights. Dawn on the eight day going back to my hanyou form."

Kagome nodded. "Well alright then I would be honored. Kikyo?"

"As would I."

x

Inutaisho smelled four scents coming toward the door. He didn't understand that other scent. There were two new scents in the room! When the door opened though he was in shock. Twins! "Twi…..twi…..twins?"

Kagome nodded with a smile. "This was your first born. Hiromi chose her for the name Yuriko." Then handed his first born daughter into his right arm.

Kikyo handed his other daughter into his left arm. "This is your second born daughter. Hiromi chose for her name to be after her own mother. Yume."

Inutaisho swelled with pride as he forced the tears in his eyes to stay where they were. He finally had daughters! And both of them were full demon as well. "My girls." Then without a word he walked past them and to his mate. "Itoushii?"

Hiromi reached up and took Yume from her father. "I am fine. Tired but I am fine. Do you approve of who got what name?"

"Hai. You did it. You finally gave me my girls."

Hiromi smiled as he kissed her forehead. "And I know you are going to be just the perfect father to them. As you would have been with Inuyasha I just know it."

"Thank you itoushii, thank you."


	18. Chapter 18

Tree weeks have passed and Inutaisho once again found himself growling when a tiny cry echoed through the room. He cracked an eye open to see Hiromi gliding over to the cribs with a radiant smile on her face. The up and down all night didn't seem to affect her as it was him. As she carried Yuriko back to the bed with her, he sat up with a groan. "I forgot just how often they have you up and down at night at first. Though I gotta say they aren't as bad as Sesshomaru was."

Hiromi giggled as she watched her daughter feed. "Would you really change it?"

Giving her a half glare he leaned over and kissed the side of her head. "If I didn't want pups with you, I wouldn't have mated with you. Just if it happens again, and we have more. I am going to get Kagome to get me some of those ear plugs she says she uses when Inuyasha and Kikyo argue."

"Ear plugs?"

"She says they drastically reduce the noise of the room."

Hiromi giggled as she moved her daughter from her breast. "At least Yume does take after me. Father use to say that of all the pups born to our pack that I was the calmest one. Even with the other females born."

Turning to look at the second crib he smiled. "Even if she was like her sister it wouldn't matter. It would just mean that I would be out of bed as well with one."

Standing Hiromi walked her daughter back to her crib and laid her down, her eyes closed in sleep again already. She then went back to the bed and settled in curled up around him. "At least we know that I can have pups."

"And Inuyasha should be able to father them as well."

Leaning up on her elbow she gazed at him with worry etched clearly in her green eyes. "What is bothering you? And don't tell me nothing I know better than that Inutaisho."

His eyes locked onto the ceiling he sighed. "It is this new demon. I don't know who he is or what he is. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha and the others have already killed Naraku. Kagome carries a full Shikon no Tama around her neck, it's true protector. And nothing has come up at all. The miko that gave me life back told me that it would rear its head after Naraku was gone but nothing."

"Are you really in a hurry for it too?"

Hearing the pain in her voice he pulled her down and into his arms in a tight embrace. "The faster it gets here the sooner I can kill it and our girls can grow up happy and safe and not have to always look over their shoulder's wondering who is there."

"I understand that. I don't want them to have to do that either." Then she sighed. "Or any pups born to the others."

"Exactly."

X

Hiroshi stood just outside the palace walls of the new southern palace. A glare on his face as jumps over the wall. The robes he was wearing doing more than hiding him. Having known where a black magic user was the robes he wore not only hid his sent and aura, but all sounds he made. He had come to take the shikon jewel from the human miko that had it. Only to find out that his sister had pups with that bastard!

As he entered the palace he followed his nose to the room that his sister shared with Inutaisho. He gave them a glare and a growl then turned to the two cribs that were on the other side of the room. He looked in and couldn't help but smile. They were full demon! 'So it appears that half breeds can have full demon pups when mated with a demon huh? Well my nieces I can use you after all. In a few years you will come with me and I will use you in the fight against your parents.'

Turning to leave the room he headed for the room where Sesshomaru and his human were. The thought of a demon of Sesshomaru's stature and position as Lord Of The West sleeping with a human every night sickened him.

Moving into the room he went to the side of the bed that the miko was on and reached out clipping the chain that held the jewel on either side and the lifting it from her body with a wicked smile. 'With this you all will die.' Then just as silently as he came in he left. Once he was to where his dragon mount was he mounted and shed the robe letting it fly in the wind as he held the jewel up in the moonlight. It's pure pink color already staining a dark purple as the anger and rage of his own heart filled it. The need for death and revenge driving him.

He threw his head back and laughed as he tightened his fist around it. "I have it! The full jewel of four souls! No one will be able to stop me now! No one!" Then he turned more serious as he watched as his mount flew toward his home where had been staying. "And in a few years we will bring back my nieces as they sleep to this place. Where I will use this jewel to take control of them. He will lose the family he just made and that will start the pain that he will feel."

X

Hiromi and Inutaisho both gasped and shot up when a blood curdling scream came from Sesshomaru and Kagome's room. Inutaisho flew from the bed in a pair of hakama only and ran down the hall to his son's room and threw the door open to find a sobbing Kagome in his arms. "What the hell?"

Sesshomaru turned a glare on his father with a feral growl. "Someone was in your palace last night."

"We would have noticed that dimwit. Two demons and two half demons? Two mikos, a slayer and a monk that can sense auras. No way."

Narrowing his eyes at his father Sesshomaru growled. "Then explain why the jewel is missing? Someone was in here and was able to hide too well. Better than Naraku and take the jewel from her neck as we slept."

Hiromi followed her mate to the door then gasped when she heard what Sesshomaru had said and ran back to the bedroom and her twins. Sighing when they were both there and sleeping soundly. Lifting them into her arms she left again and found Sango and Kikyo in the room with Kagome now. She glided in and handed one of the pups to her mate and stood there watching as Sesshomaru tried to calm her down. Her heart going out to her.

Inuyasha stood in the door now with Miroku. "So we can't smell him, sense or or hear him. How the hell we going to figure out who he is or where is with the jewel?"

Inutaisho turned and handed Yuriko to Sango and then sat down in the floor and closed his eyes. "This is how. The only way to be able to do that is if the one who did this either knows black magic or knows someone who knows it."

Sesshomaru arched his eyebrow. He had been around for a few thousand years by now and knew nothing of black magic. "What are you talking about?"

His eyes still closed Inutaisho began to glow as he floated slightly above the ground. His face more serious than Sesshomaru had ever seen it before. Finally he let his aura fade as he drifted back down to the ground then with a fist punched a hole in the floor. "I will kill that damn bastard this time!" His eyes already bleeding red.

Kikyo rushed over to Hiromi and pulled Yume from her arms. "Go to him. He is about to go into a rage."

Hiromi gasped as she ran to him and touched him only to gasp as he stood and pulled her hard against him with a growl. "It is alright. I am here and I am fine. So are the girls."

Holding her to him he went first to Yuriko, then to Yume. It was Hiroshi! And he no doubt knew about them. Probably was in the same room as them looking at them! He was not going to risk his new pups lives or his mate. "We all go back to the Southern Palace. Now."

Looking up into his amber eyes Hiromi had tears filling her emerald green ones. "What is it?"

Tucking her head under his chin he sighed as he finally calmed down. "I have been around longer than most demons you will ever come across. I was double what Sesshomaru's age is now when I first met his mother. I myself can use black magic. And there is only one demon alive that would know it and would want to aid someone who is an enemy of mine."

Out of nowhere Myoga started to jump up and down on Inutaisho's shoulder. "You surely don't think he would be that brash do you Master?"

A glare at the flea caused him to freeze in his movements. "I do. He is too old and weak to do anything seeing as he is at least triple what my age would have been had I not died. IF someone was to go to him and ask for help in black magic to get at me I know he would."

Sesshomaru arched an eyebrow as he cradled his still sobbing mate. "Who?"

His eyes glaring over his mate's head he ground his teeth together. "Hoshirumaru. He is another dog demon that challenged me for the title of Lord of the West after my father passed and I stepped up to take over. He lost even though he used black magic and a bag of dirty tricks. He had not thought that my father taught the art of black magic to me but he did. And he was still alive last I heard before I died, if he is still then it make sense that he would help someone try to get back at me. Knowing that I died an then came back has to be a thorn in the bastards side."

Kikyo bounced Yume as she arched an eyebrow at him. "Who would want to go that far to get back at you though?"

Hiromi gasped as her eyes went wide and she looked up at him. Her hands fisting in his hair against his bare chest. "It isn't."

"It is."

Fear swam through her so fast as she turned and looked at her pups then as she started to go to them she fell backwards. Passing out right into Inutaisho's arms. Before she went completely out she was able to utter the names of her pups.

Sango was truly confused. "Who is it?"

Growling he lifted his mate and looked down at her. "Her older brother Hiroshi."


	19. Chapter 19

With a slight moan Hiromi rolled her head to the side as she started to wake up. Then her eyes flashed open as an instant replay flew through her mind. "Yuriko! Yume!"

Reaching out and pulling his mate into his arms Inutaisho sighed. "They are fine. I am shocked you didn't wake them up. Look left."

Turning her head to the left she sighed when she saw her girls sleeping soundly in their beds next to theirs. That was when she realized they were not at home. "Where are we?"

"The Western Palace. After what happened, and none of us realizing it, I thought it best until your brother can be dealt with that we come here and stay. There are more demons here, and less likely for him to try it again."

Now gripping his kimono with a death grip Hiromi began to shake. "I can't believe that he…" Then stopped as a sob lodged in her throat. "I can't believe he can't just leave me alone."

"He will the next time I see him. He won't bother anyone ever again."

Her eyes darting over to her sleeping girls as even more tears spilled from her eyes. "We could have lost them and not known it until it was too late. I don't know what I would have done if we had woke up and they weren't there."

His eyes now on his only girls he nodded. "I agree with that statement completely. At night, when we are sleeping too, they stay between us. He wouldn't be able to get to them without touching us or the bed. Okay?"

Hiromi nodded her head as she kept her teary gaze on her girls. She never thought she would find a mate, let alone anyone like Inutaisho. And then to give birth to not only one, but two girls not long after they mated. She felt like she was the luckiest girl alive. Until yesterday. Then she let out a gasp as she pushed out of his arms and her green eyes locked with worried amber ones. "It's him!"

"Who?"

"You told me that when you were brought back to life by a miko just before we met that she said she was bringing you back to help Sesshomaru and Inuyasha with a new threat! That new threat is my brother!"

Blinking he cocked his head at her. "Your brother is nothing special. Why would it warrant bringing me back to help them deal with it?"

With an annoyed glare Hiromi crossed her arms. "Because! What did he take out of our home? He took it from Kagome."

"The Shikon…..jewel…."

With a nod Hiromi stood up and started to pace the floor. "It makes sense! If my brother did go to the demon you talked about yesterday…"

"Hoshirumaru."

"If Hiroshi went to him to learn black magic, that would make him stronger than he was the last time we saw him right?"

"But now that he has the jewel that power has grown a hundred fold."

Stopping in her pacing Hiromi turned and looked at her girls then walked over and touched both of their heads with a smile as fresh tears streamed down her face. "I do know one thing though. No matter what, father would not ever let anything happen to his grand-daughters. He may be departed, but I know he is still with me."

"Between him and me, no force alive would come close to hurting them." Then he laughed as he pulled her into his arms. "Not to mention their protective big brothers."

"Huh?"

Looking down into her wide green eyes he smiled. "Sesshomaru and Inuyasha have been in and out of here along with Sango, Kagome, Kikyo and even the monk checking on the twins until you woke up. After we got back here last night, Inuyasha even slept outside under our window with the monk."

Laughing Hiromi leaned into his chest. "Well that is a good thing. At least that proves that they care about them already."

Nodding Inutaisho lifted his mate into his arms and walked back to the bed with her and lay down next to her holding her close. "But for now this is the safest place to be. As soon as we deal with him, Kagome gets to purify that damn jewel and then we go home with our girls and live happily ever after together."

"That sounds great to me." Then Hiromi let her eyes start to drift shut. She had not been under so much stress as she has in the last twenty four hours since the day she met Inutaisho. And it was proving to be exhausting.

X

"So they are the key?"

Looking up and over at the wolf demon she brought from hell Midoriko nodded. "That is right. Their power together will prove to be your sons undoing. You are alright with this? The death of your son?"

Hiro nodded as he kept his eyes on the image of his daughter and her family. "I am. I thought that Hiroshi would take up for and defend his sister. Not try to kill her."

"You do not get your body back. For your power while it is great, you…"

"I get it. In return for being the guardian angel so to speak for them, when it is all said and done I will get to talk to Hiromi and then I get to come back here and spend eternity with her mother."

"That's right."

Hiro smiled as he jumped up on the side of the fountain. "Well then. No time like the present."

"It will take a few years before they will be ready."

Winking at the miko and laughing at her blush Hiro smiled. "I know that. But it isn't like we are ever going to get any older right?" Then he jumped through the image in the water and now found himself standing between his daughter and Lord and his grandpups. 'Hiromi. I could not have asked for a better mate for you than Inutaisho. None.'

Then he walked over and smiled down into the two faces of his grand-daughters who were smiling up at him. "You see and hear me don't you girls? Don't worry. Grandpa will be here to protect you and your mama and papa."


	20. Chapter 20

Five years have passed and Hiromi sat with Kagome as they watched not only her twins, but Kagome's son as they ran and played together. Kagome's son, and the next Lord of the West had his father's markings and eyes. His hair was a mix of both his mother and father, white, fading into black about half way down. And the doggie ears like his Uncle Inuyasha.

Kazemaru, Yume and Yuriko were as close as close to be. Though Hiromi would admit to anyone that it was a fight like no one had seen her have with Inutaisho when he wanted to start training her girls to fight the second they could walk. But they seemed to love training with their papa so she wasn't so upset about it now.

But more what was still wearing on her mind was that no one had heard anything about the jewel, nor her brother. Inutaisho even sent a messenger to her old pack to see if anyone there had seen or heard of him. But he never went back there since the day that he left them to follow after and kill her. And that worried her.

Kagome looked over at Hiromi with a smile. "Cheer up. In the time that I came from, we had a saying. No news is good news."

Casting her eyes down Hiromi sighed. "But I know the one that is our threat better than anyone else ever will. For a few hundred years I was fine, because I was able to stay with Papa. But whenever I couldn't be with him he would leave me with Hiroshi because he thought that Hiroshi was a caring big brother like Sesshomaru and Inuyasha are with the girls. But he has always been mean. I hated those days."

"But surely he knows that he can't stand a chance against Sesshomaru, Inutaisho, and Inuyasha."

Hiromi gave the young miko a half glare. "Kagome. Remember what happened right after we officially mated?"

Kagome gasped then dropped her head. "Right."

"Mama! Mama!"

"Mommy!"

Looking up at the three smiling faces running at them Hiromi caught both her girls as they jumped at her, and Kazemaru into Kagome's arms. Looking back over at her she giggled. "Then again I should enjoy this time while I can huh?"

Holding her son out at arms-length Kagome spun around in a circle pulling a loud laugh from him before she hugged him to her. "That's right."

"What's right?"

Looking over her shoulder as Yuriko jumped from her arms into her daddy's arms. "Enjoying the moment with the little ones."

Yuriko giggled as well as she hugged her daddy's neck. "Papa will you and Mama take us to see the roses again?"

Hiromi sighed as she looked down into the pleading eyes of Yume and sighed. "If it is alright with your Papa then I guess we can."

Yume then turned her eyes to her father. "Papa?"

Trying to figure out a way to say no to them, he looked back and forth between their emerald and amber eyes with the pleading look in them. He was a great demon. Feared by most. A legend among humans. But these two little girls bring him down faster than any foe ever could. With a sigh he dropped his head. "Alright. Lets go."

Kazemaru reached up and gently tugged on his mother's hair. "Mommy can we go get daddy and go too?"

"Go where?"

Kagome turned and smiled up at Sesshomaru. "He wants us to go with your father, Hiromi and the girls to see the silver roses. They were always Rin's favorite flowers and it would be a nice welcome home present for her when Sango brings her home in a few days."

"Very well."

Hiromi smiled when all three pups burst starting laughing from excitement. "I guess we need to get going then."

X

Hiro smiled as he leapt from tree to tree overtop of where his pup and her new pack walked. His eyes never leaving his grand-daughters. But then he stopped and glared toward the west. It was Hiroshi. He was concealed using black magic just like the day that he snuck into the home that Hiromi and Inutaisho should have been all along. "He will be coming to see the girls."

With a leap he landed right behind the girls and Kazemaru, who seemed to be able to see him as well. "Don't say anything pups, and don't look at me."

Yuriko and Yume looked at each other and gave the other a soft smile as they reached out and took their hands. They knew from their grandpa that they were special and could do anything together, so they knew they always had to be together. Forever.

X

Hiroshi watched from a tree as his nieces ran through the flowers with a crooked smile. Tonight was going to be the night that he was going to take action. He would show them all what was going to happen to them all. He was going to use his own niece against them all!

As they started back toward the palace he moved to stand in the middle of the roses and used the jewel as he followed Yume. She was named after the human that seduced his father, so she would be the one he would bring with him. 'Soon my dear niece. You are going to be with me. And when the time is right, you will kill your own father and mother!'

X

Yume woke from a sound sleep with wide eyes that were no longer emerald but rather a dull, dark green color. Effortlessly and without disturbing her sister or parents she jumped from the bed and then out the window. Dodging and evading the sentries that were posted to keep them safe as she made her way toward the silver roses.

As she approached them out of nowhere a wolf appeared. He reached out for her hand and as she took it they walked off together.

Hiroshi smiled as he looked down at the cursed pup. "When this wears off you will be mine. And will do as I say if you want to live. But for now lets get you to your new home."

X

Rolling in her sleep with a fitfull nightmare Yuriko opened her eyes with a slight gasp. The dream she had about her sister terrified her. When she looked over where Yume should have been tears began to spill from her amber eyes. Her sister wasn't there! Flashes of the dream flew through her mind as her eyes seemed to get wider and wider.

Her eyes darted to her grandfather who just came back in the window with a look of pure rage. It was more than a dream. She saw what was happening to her sister! She dropped her head as she balled up her little fists and began to shake. Then the air in the room became thick and heavy as she started to glow a deep blue color. "Yume!"


	21. Chapter 21

Jerking awake Inutaisho and Hiromi jumped to a sitting position and both turned to their sobbing pup. Hiromi pulling her into her arms. "Yuriko what's wrong?"

"Yume! She is gone!"

Her emerald eyes darting to the bed she let tears fall as she turned them up to Inutaisho's. "Yume…."

"It is Hiroshi! He has her!"

Inutaisho's eyes went wide though they still seethed with anger. "How do you know that name?"

Looking up at her father with bloodshot eyes Yuriko sniffled as she clung to her mother. "Ever since Yume and I can remember we have been able to see Grandpa. Grandpa Hiro. He said that the same miko that gave you your life back sent his spirit down to watch over Yume and I. Kazemaru can see him too. But even he didn't see Yume leave."

"Yuriko are you sure about what you said. There is no way that Yume could have gone through the place, the court yard, or the woods around here without someone seeing her."

Her eyes going frantic Yuriko gripped her mother tighter. "I saw it! I thought it was a dream and it scared me awake but Yume was gone! Papa…" Then she hurled herself into his arms. "We have to find her. We have to!"

"Don't worry Yuriko. I will make sure that I get your sister and bring her home. And rid the world of Hiroshi once and for all. So the two of you don't have to worry about him ever again."

"You have to hurry Papa! I can feel it. She is so scared right now. Please!"

Pulling her daughter into her arms while she too cried as Inutaisho stormed from the room she hugged her tightly. "Papa will get her back Yuriko. He will."

Still raked with sobs Yuriko looked up at her mother's eyes pleading. "Mama I can find her."

"You are not leaving my arms!"

"I have to go with Papa when he goes for her. I can show him where to go!"

"Yuriko you can't remember that much about your dream."

Jerking away from her mother as tears still streamed down her face, Yuriko fisted her hands at her side and once again starting glowing a deep purple color. "I can show him because I feel her Mama! I can hear her calling out for me. I can feel a pull telling me what way to go to find her!" Then she gasped as strong arms scooped her up and she turned to see her father's eyes. "Papa…."

Tucking his pups head under his chin he turned stern eyes to his mate. "You AND Yuriko are going with us. Inuyasha and Miroku are going to stay with Sango, Kikyo Kagome and Kazemaru. Sesshomaru and some of my more trusted guards are going with us."

"Papa I can tell you what way to go!"

Blinking he looked down at his pup. "What did you mean by that?"

"It is just a feeling that I have. I can hear Yuriko calling out to me, you and Mama to help her. She is so scared."

"It is a trait that is seen often in my time with twins."

Inutaisho arched his eyebrow as he turned to see Kagome standing at the door holding a scared Kazemaru. "Trait?"

Kagome nodded. "It is something that has been tested and it is true. When twins are born, they have a bond that is closer than a normal brother and sister. I have friends who are twins and they know when the other is sick, worried, scared, upset. And don't even have to see them. I would suggest that you let her lead the way."

Hiro had been standing back taking it all in but stepped up so that Yuriko could see him and made eye contact with her. "You must make them hurry Yuriko. I will go stay with her but remember this. When you see her, she will be under that spell again. Only you will be able to break it. Together with your mother and father the four of you are going to have the power to stop him. But you must break it."

"I will Grandpa."

She turned blinking eyes to Inuyasha, Kikyo, Sanog, Miroku, Sesshomaru and Kagome when she heard them all gasp. "Grandpa Hiro. Mama's father has been in the palace since we were born. Kazemaru can see him too."

With a sigh Inuyasha dropped his head. "The girl had to have just heard you and Hiromi talking about him, father you can't seriously take her word for it."

Yuriko growled. "Is it really so hard to believe that the spirit of my Grandpa has been here with us since Yume and I were born? Papa died but came back."

Though before he could answer Inutaisho smiled down at his pup. The words she spoke to her older brother were true. And the shock that registered on Inuyasha's face was worth it.

With a sigh Inuyasha dropped his head. "She is more like Sesshomaru than I thought."

Turning his pups head to look at him Inutaisho smiled. "Hiro was a good man and I am sure would have been an even better Grandpa. But what did he just say?"

"He said that Hiroshi has her under a spell to try and make her fight against you. But that only I can break it. Papa I don't know how but I know what he means. Yume and I….."

"Have a bond unlike any other I know. I have seen it. I wouldn't dream of leaving you or your mother behind on this."

Her eyes going wide Hiromi flew off the bed to where her mate stood with Yuriko. "You can't really be serious about taking her?!"

"I won't leave her or you behind. If Hiroshi learned from who I think he did about the black magic, then she may be right on the money. It may be the special bond that she shares with Yuriko to break the spell." Then his eyes flashed distress as he bowed his head. "We have to try it. Otherwise we are both dead. There is no way that I could ever strike my own daughter."

Hiromi nodded as she leaned into his chest, overcome with tears once more. 'Oh Yume.'

X

A small form huddled in a dark corner. Her brilliant green eyes shedding a river of tears. 'How did I end up here? Mama! Papa! Yuriko! Help me!'

"Don't move Yume. It's Grandpa. Don't let Hiroshi know you can see me."

Feeling the presence of her grandpa Yume stopped shaking as badly. In barely a whisper she was able to ask him. "Why?"

"He wants to make you fight against your mother, father and Yuriko. He doesn't understand the bond that you and Yuriko have. He thinks with that spell, that you will be his puppet forever. But, Yuriko is coming and she will be able to help you break the spell. Just blink once if you understand, you have to fight the curse in your head. Fight it with everything you have when they get here."

Slowly as more tears streamed out of her eyes Yume let her eyes close once and open. 'I just wish they would hurry. I am so scared.'


	22. Chapter 22

Hiroshi stood on a bluff and smiled when he saw them coming. And with the pup that didn't fall under his spell either. "Well this is most unexpected. I will get her this time and see how the great dog general fares when he has to fight his own daughters."

He turned and glided through the caves that he called home before he came to the cell where the other girl was at. For three days he had her in there, yet something eerie, and frightening came over him whenever he got close. 'It is just in my head.' Then he hardened his glare. 'I take the over. You shall do as I command. Rise up my puppet!'

Yume felt something pulling at her in her head. It was that spell. She fought it but it still took her over. But the words of her grandfather rang true. She tried to regain control of herself as she watched what happened. 'Yuriko!'

Hiroshi opened her cell door and smiled as she followed him through more caves. "How ironic that his second death is going to be at the hands of his own daughter. This will show him what happens when he meddles in my business. And just before he takes his last breath, I will release you from the curse and take the lives of you, your sister and mother all in front of him."

Hiro followed his granddaughter close behind with a glare for his son. Had he known that he would have turned out to be the way he was now, he would have killed him the second that he was born. But he played the part of the doting big brother very well. 'Well up until he caught me off guard. Who would ever think that their own pup would be the one to kill them.'

X

Yuriko pointed with a shaky finger what way they had to go next. They were almost there. Though her brother and most of the guards were still iffy on if she knew what she was talking about, she knew beyond a doubt that they were going the right way. Then she gasped as she grabbed hold of her father's neck. "He did it again."

"Did what again?"

Looking up into her father's amber eyes she let tears stream. "He has her under the spell again. She is moving toward us."

With a growl he tightened his hold on his pup, and his mate as he walked on. "It won't work. I refuse to strike my daughter but I can restrain her."

Yuriko just held onto her father as they walked on. They didn't know about what she and Yume could do. They never let anyone know what they could do. Grandpa had always told them never to just let anyone know about their powers because people would try to use it against them or use them against their mother and father. 'But it is that power that I have to use to save my sister.'

Inutaisho sighed as he felt the shaking in both his pup and his mate. And it was all Hiroshi's fault! He knew he should have killed him when he had the chance to do it! 'Damn him! If he has hurt her I will take great delight in killing him slowly. He may know black magic. But so do I.'

"The key to defeating him lies in your arms Inutaisho."

Everyone stopped and looked around at the sound of the female voice. But Inutaisho knew the voice. "Miko? What the hell are you talking about?"

"Your daughters are not just your normal run of the mill pups Inutaisho." Then there was a bright light that walked out of the woods, and as she got closer Midoriko revealed herself. "There is a great power sleeping within them. That if nurtured could make them even stronger than you and Sesshomaru combined."

Blinking then glaring Inutaisho kept his tight hold on Yuriko and Hiromi. "What the hell? She is just a little pup how do you know that?"

With a smile Midoriko let her eyes land on the pup. "I told you that you were being sent back to help with the threat after Naraku correct?"

"Yeah."

"This is exactly what I meant. You were needed to save her. Though if truly angered, Hiromi has a sort of hidden power deep in side of her that will allow her to transform into a small wolf. I suspect that you will see that soon."

Handing Yuriko to Hiromi Inutaisho stepped in front of them. "So if I get this right the heavens fetched me from hell just so I could have twin girls and send them in to fight someone who uses black magic right?"

"Yes and no." Her face going more stern she kept his gaze. "The girls, they are special and will be the key to helping you in the fight. Though they do not need to get in the fight themselves."

A growl rolling deep in his chest Inutaisho crossed his arms. "I'm waiting."

Looking to her right Midoriko smiled as she reached out. "How about Hiro tells you."

Looking around her mate Hiromi gasped when before formed a transparent version of her father. "Papa."

Hiro nodded. "It is good to see you again Hiromi." He then glanced at Inutaisho and Yuriko before he settled on his pup's green eyes. "You have made me so proud. I am sure that your mother is as well pup. You are stronger than you think, and have a strong pack. The power that Yuriko and Yume have, doesn't come from Inutaisho. It comes from your bloodline. More like your mothers."

"Mama's?"

His eyes going to the stern eyes of his Lord Hiro gave a slight bow. "My Lord. I could not have asked for anyone better to have mated with my daughter. I will forever be grateful for what you have done for her. The power that your daughters hold come from her mother's family. Hiromi's grandmother was a twin as well. On their own, they had incredible power, together they were unstoppable."

"What sort of powers?"

"Mikos. Just like Kagome. Only they were stronger than even she is, or Kikyo. Yume, Hiromi's mother did not inherit any of the miko abilities. So when she chose to leave them for me no one threw a fit about it. But the abilities are awakened in your girls."

Blinking with wide eyes Inutaisho just gaped at him. "Hiro you were a good man, and loyal. But you don't really expect me to believe that three generations later, my full demon daughters use miko powers do you?"

"It's true Papa." Yuriko then wiggled free from her mother and stood on the ground as she closed her eyes and a barrier was erected around them all. "It is different from a normal miko though."

Midoriko smiled as she walked up to the girl and fell to her knees before her. "It is different because instead of killing demons with it, you purge them of ill thoughts and spells."

Her eyes wide Yuriko let them mist with tears. "That is why only I can save Yume?"

"That's right."

Hiromi was shaking as she started to protest but then felt that all to familiar and missed hand fall on her shoulder and she turned to look up into the sapphire eyes of her father. "Papa you can't really mean letting her fight!?"

"I do. Yume is not the pup that you saw when last you did. Hiroshi has placed the Sacred Jewel about her neck. The spell forcing her to draw on its power as well. Right now she is stronger than your mate. But with the barriers they can do like the one we are in, the second Yume is in it, Hiroshi's hold on her will be gone."

Yuriko nodded up at her mother. "Please mama? Let me save my sister."

Looking down into the mirror eyes of her mate and the pleading that was in them she gave in and dropped her head as tears streamed down her face. "I just don't want to lose either one of you."

Rushing to her side and pulling her into his arms Inutaisho sighed. "Don't worry Hiromi. Nothing is going to happen to Yuriko and we will get Yume back." He then turned to Hiro and Midoriko. "What do you suggest we do then?"


	23. Chapter 23

Hiro held Inutaisho's glare with his own. "Let Yuriko out on her own. Let her meet her sister. She can control who she lets in and who she doesn't let in her barrier. She can also choose the color of it if she wants too. She can make it transparent and decide only to tell Yume in it. Once she steps through Hiroshi's hold on her will vanish. That is when you step in and kill the bastard. Had I only known what he was capable of I would have cut him down the day he was born myself."

His eyes slits of pure rage Inutaisho fought with whether or not he should let Yuriko do that or not. He was already in a position where he had to face his own small pup! "Damnit!"

Though her very being was against it Hiromi looked up at him as she gripped his clothes so tight her knuckles were white. "Let her go."

"What!?"

Tears streaming from her eyes Hiromi kept contact with his. "I hate the thought of it too. I am terrified that something bad is going to happen. But Kagome told me about Naraku. She told me all about what he could do with the jewel. If Yuriko has a chance…."

Both sets of eyes, amber and emerald green turned down to look into the amber eyes of Yuriko as tears streamed down her face and she grabbed their clothes. Yuriko had to do this. She was the only one who could help Yume. "Please Papa."

With a growl Inutaisho closed his eyes and dropped his head. "Fine. But the first second I sense any sort of danger I will swing in and grab you both."

Yuriko smiled as she hugged her father's leg. "Thank you Papa!"

X

Yume fought desperately as she walked through the woods toward a clearing. She knew what she was supposed to do and didn't want to! She was told by her uncle to kill her Papa! 'I can't! I won't! Yuriko!'

'I hear you Yume. I am here. I will save you.'

'But I don't wanna hurt you! Or Papa! Or Mama!'

'I will save you. I promise. I met the miko that sent Papa back to life. She told me how I can save you and why I can save you. Trust me sister.'

'Yes. I trust you sister.'

Hiroshi glared from the cliff when out of the trees walked only the pup. He had hoped that Inutaisho would come out thinking that he could overpower his pup. But instead it was her sister! Then an evil smile graced his face. He would send his black magic through the first pup. She will take over her sister and they would both be under his control. 'My precious puppet. Draw on my black magic. Attack that pup. Place your hand on her heart and make her a puppet like you!'

Yuriko fought against it but couldn't stop her body as she charged her sister. Her hand out stretched as she moved faster than she thought she could toward her. 'Yuriko!'

Yume already had a rather large barrier put up and smiled as she stood there and watched her sister charge her. 'Come Yume! Trust me!'

As she reached the barrier and crashed through it, Yume's dull green eyes turned bright once more as she fell to the ground. Her mind was her own again! Looking up she stood and embraced her sister as she ran to her. "Yuriko!"

"Yume! I was so worried about you!"

Stepping out of the trees Inutaisho smiled at his crying girls as Hiromi rushed through the barrier and fell hugging them both. He then turned and looked up at the cliff as he growled. Then without warning lunged toward the figure on the cliff. Once again showing why he was the strongest demon of all time as he transformed into his truest form as he did so.

X

Hiromi felt the rage that soared through him but then gasped as the hair on the back of her neck when she looked up and saw the evil gleam of her brother! "Hiroshi you bastard! Stay away from them!"

A smug smirk on his face Hiroshi looked down at the girls then back up to his sisters eyes when she stepped in front of them. "I will have her back. Both of them. I must know what happened to break my spell. Even your mate cannot break it."

"What?"

Laughing as he looked up at the giant dog and wolf that rumbled around on the mountain fighting. "He is fighting a mere phantom. And he doesn't even know it. Sesshomaru and the rest of them are there keeping an eye on things. Thinking they are fighting me. Leaving you and the girls exposed."

Her whole body shaking Hiromi dropped her head as she started to growl and the wind in the barrier began to whip around. She had endured years of secret abuse at the hand of her brother. It was Hiroshi that killed her father. It was Hiroshi that tried to kill her. It was Hiroshi that stole the jewel from Kagome. It was Hiroshi that kidnapped her daughter. And it was Hiroshi that was now threatening to destroy her entire family that she has wanted for as long as she can remember. "I won't let you get near them."

"What can a weak half breed like you do about anything?" But then his eyes went wide and he took a step back. She would barely reach to his underbelly but Hiromi was transformed! Into a wolf! But what was even more outstanding was that the barrier grew along with her in size. 'Damnit! Where did this power come from! Her mother was nothing more than a weak human!'

Placing a paw in front of her girls Hiromi snarled and snapped her teeth together as she glared at him through the same emerald eyes that were now surrounded by red. "You won't touch them you son of a bitch! I won't let you!"

Yuriko and Yume shot their eyes to their father who seemed oblivious to what was going on before them. Yume started shaking as one hand reached out and gripped the fur of her mother and the other Yume's hand. "He is under the same spell that I was. He should be able to sense Mama but he doesn't realize why."

With a giggle Yuriko also reached out and gripped her mother's fur. "That is alright. When we are together our barriers can get bigger and stronger right?"

"Yeah but I we can't reach Papa."

Nodding Yume let her eyes fall on the jewel that hung from Yuriko's neck. "We can use that. Remember when Grandpa told us that we had demonic miko powers?"

"Yes. But he wouldn't tell us exactly what they were for."

"It is to be able to cleanse someone of a spell. Like Papa. If we both use Mama's anger at him and that jewel we can put another barrier around Papa. Just like we would put barriers around each other for practice with Grandpa."

Nodding Yume and Yuriko closed their eyes and envisioned a barrier around their father that he cannot get out of. After a few moments the rumble of the ground stopped. They could smell Sesshomaru and the other soldiers rushing back to them when they smelled Hiroshi there now. Falling to their knees they let go of their mother and started breathing hard as both barriers came down.

Hiroshi smiled for a fraction of a second when the barriers shattered. He turned to Yume intent on getting her back under her spell and then having her kill herself. But the little wench was inside a smaller barrier with her sister. Both looking at him with a mix of fear and hate in their eyes.

Sesshomaru was coming. Inutaisho was coming. He smiled as he started to reach for his neck but then his eyes went wide. He forgot that he had put the jewel on the pup! "Give it back you little wench!"

Seeing his intention Hiromi used her head and hit him sending him flying backwards with a snarl. A thud caused her to turn her head to the side to see a dog form of Inutaisho. But her eyes darted back to where Hiroshi had been. Her entire body only wanted one thing right now. His head ripped from his body!

Inutaisho stayed in dog from as he walked up to her. His words coming out as whimpers and whines instead of words. "Hiromi. Settle down. I will deal with him another time. He does not have the jewel anymore so he isn't strong enough to try anything right now. You need to settle down."

"He is vile! He even managed to put you under a spell. He wanted to kill you! And the girls! Then me and I just can't take it anymore!"

"Hiromi…."

Inutaisho then walked up to her and bent his head rubbing it down the side of hers and he could feeling her calming down. "Next time he will die. The next time we see him I swear I will end his tyranny over you. But for right now we have daughters that need to be took home and training strated."

"Training?"

"Just in case. My daughters will be as strong as my sons. If not stronger. Okay…"

Finally able to settle down completely Hiromi started to glow at the same time that Inutaisho did and when the light was gone he was standing there holding her as she went limp in his arms. "Hiromi…."

Fear gripping them Yume and Yuriko rushed to their father's side. Yuriko looked up into his eyes as she climbed up his momoko on the right side and Yume on the left. "Mama is gonna be alright isn't she Papa?"

"Just fine. Come my daughters. It is time that your big brothers and I taught you how to fight. So you won't be helpless next time Hiroshi decides to make a move." Then his eyes fell on the jewel. "And that needs to be given back to Kagome."


	24. Chapter 24

Hiromi sat on a balcony with Kagome as they watched their mates train their children. It has been a hundred years since they last saw or heard anything about Hiroshi. Hiromi herself wished that it was because he crossed the wrong demon and they ripped his head off. But she knew better than that.  
What marveled her was that Kagome entrusted the jewel, split into two perfect halves to her daughters due to their miko powers and strong sense of what was right and what was wrong. And that she was alive.

Being a human she should have died before Kazemaru, or Hanako their daughter reached her knees. But for some reason, her bond with Sesshomaru has allowed her to adapt to the aging process of a demon. Which worked out for everyone all together.

Yuriko and Yume were raving beauties now that they were all grown up. Though both have sworn to not take mates until after their vile uncle is gone. And making sure that their 'Papa' approved of them. She was glad that they didn't stop calling him that and started calling him Father. It was natural to hear Sesshomaru and Inuyasha saying it but it wouldn't have been for her girls.

A thud and an annoyed growl drew her out of her thoughts as she looked down to see Kazemaru once again on his backside at the feet of his father. "Kagome I think that boy of yours needs something other than 'father being angry' to kick him into gear. He is being trained the same way and has a talent for it, same as Yuriko and Yume. But he just don't get it."

Kagome sighed as she crossed her arms. "I know. I think part of the problem is that Sesshomaru is trying to push him like he is a full demon and he isn't. And we are coming up to his human night at that. He knows this."

"But he could get it if he had the right motivation I think."

"Like what?"

Crossing her arms and thinking for a moment Hiromi wasn't sure what they could use against him. But then she got it and snapped her fingers as she winked at Kagome. "Food."

"Food?"

"That's right! Think about it Kagome. When he isn't training with his father or studying with you he can be found either in the kitchen raiding it or out hunting to cook that and eat it all to himself. He is a gluten."

Dropping her head even further with every word Kagome sighed. "Yeah. I know he is. I don't know where he gets that from. Not from me or Sesshomaru."

"Tell him that if he doesn't focus and do what you know he can that you will have him watched and his food limited." Then she laughed as she turned back to her girls who were doing their best to take their father and Inuyasha down. "Or better yet threaten him with what Inutaisho did Yume when she was half grown."

"The bell! That's it! Even Sesshomaru flinched at the thought of having a bell hung on his neck like a dog collar. That would be perfect!" Kagome then joined Hiromi in giggling.

"Something funny?"

Looking up Kagome and Hiromi smiled a hello to a very pregnant Kikyo. Sango, Miroku, Rin, Kohaku and all their children and their children's children were either dead and gone or stretched out across the land now. But somehow, just like Kagome, Kikyo bounded with Inuyasha and took on a longer life span. And they were finally expecting their first pup. Hiromi stood up and helped her to sit down. "We were laughing about how we are going to scare Kazemaru into doing better with his training."

Looking up as she let her hands rest on her stomach Kikyo cocked her head to the side. "How is that?"

"You remember when Yume kept wanting to sneak out of the palace into the gardens to train on her own and everything we tried wouldn't make her listen?"

"Yes. Inutaisho threaten to put a collar and bell on her to make her stop."

Kagome giggled. "That is what I am going to do to Kazemaru. He has just as much talent at fighting as Yuriko, Yume and Hanako. But he is so preoccupied on food that he don't get it and ends up getting the crap beat out of him by his father."

With a giggle Kikyo began to rub her stomach. Which had been hurting her all day. "That would be motivation enough I think. I know that everyone else that day flinched the second he said…" Then she stopped and her eyes went wide as a sudden rush of wet came from between her legs. A few seconds later followed by a searing pain in her stomach. She doubled over and let out a scream. "The baby!"

"Kikyo!" Instant at her side hearing her scream Inuyasha held her hand. "I will be….."

Glaring up at him in such a way that even Inuyasha paled and let go of her hand as Hiromi and Kagome helped her up Kikyo growled. "You will not be right at my side. We wouldn't let Sesshomaru for both Kazemaru and Hanako. Nor Inutaisho for Yuriko and Yume. Kohaku and Miroku either. Stay OUT of the birthing room."

Inuyasha just sat there as he watched them help her toward the birthing room. "Damn."

"Wow Uncle Inuyasha. Aunt Kikyo meant business didn't she."

"You have no idea."

X

The hours flew by and then finally Kikyo lay in her own bed with Inuyasha at her side. And in her arms a daughter. A daughter with her brown eyes, black hair and doggie ears. And Inuyasha's amber eyes. Which to the demon noses she was told meant that she got a good portion of her father's demon blood. Since she was their miracle they decided to name her Kiseki.

Hiromi smiled down at the pup with watery eyes. "She is adorable Kikyo. It will be good to finally hear little feet running through the palace again soon."

Kikyo had tears streaming out of her eyes. "I know. I am just glad that I was finally able to give him a child after all these years."

His eyes glued to his daughter Inuyasha nodded. "I am elated to have you with me still and now a daughter."

Standing at the foot of the bed, Yuriko, whose hair was always worn loose and free down to her knees, and Yume, who wore her hair in a braid that hung between her waist and knees, smiled from one to the other, then down at the pup. Yuriko giggled. "She is adorable Kikyo. At least this one is like with Hanako. We are more than a few months older than her."

"That's right." Yume then gave Kazemaru a smile and laugh."

Crossing his arms with a glare Kazemaru growled. "Oh stuff it."

Kagome glared up at her son flaring her miko powers making him jump. "You won't talk to anyone in this palace that way Kazemaru. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes Mama."

"And one more thing, taking this from Inutaisho, it is Hiromi's idea after all, if you don't stop thinking about food and focus on training with your father. Then the bell he threatened Yume with is going to go on your neck."

His eyes going wide as he looked at her in shock. "You wouldn't."

Stepping up next to his son Sesshomaru smiled one of his rare smiles. "That is a grand idea. And I do believe that Yuriko or Yume one or both could put a barrier around it so he can't hold it to silence it right?"

Giggling Yume and Yuriko looked at each other than their nephew. "We would be more than happy to do it."

Kagome laughed. "And couple that with the echo barrier that Kikyo and I can do, the entire palace would hear every move."

Dropping his head and flattening his years Kazemaru sighed. "Isn't this moment supposed to be about Aunt Kikyo, Uncle Inuyasha and Kiseki ? Not how you plan on torturing me?"

Laughing Kikyo looked down at her little girl then back to her nephew. "My nephew, your cousin is sleeping soundly already. So we have all the time in the world to torture you."

"Thanks Aunt Kikyo."

X

From somewhere in the trees outside the palace a set of blue eyes narrowed at the palace. Yet another pup was born to them like they had eternity. "I will show them. I may not have killed them all then. But now that more than a hundred years have passed. I no longer need the jewel to magnify my black magic. I will take control of those retched twins and force them to kill everyone in that palace. Including the pup. Then they will kill each other. He will learn the hard way, not to cross a wolf."


	25. Chapter 25

"You want to do what!?" Hiromi stood and starred at her daughters in total shock. She could not believe that they actually wanted to go out looking for their uncle! Sure they were grown now and could do whatever they wanted, but to do something like that!

Their eyes serious it was Yume who spoke. "We want to find him."

His arms crossed with a glare and a growl Inutaisho kept his eye contact with Yuriko. "And what exactly do you plan on doing when you find him? You both know exactly what he is capable of doing. He may not have the jewel like the two of you do, but I promise you that he has had a hundred years to stew and would have been training in his black magic as well."

Her amber eyes not wavering Yuriko didn't even blink as she looked at her father. "To end the nightmare that he has created. And after all father, it wasn't his black magic that fooled you into fighting a fake wolf on the mountain. That was the power of the jewel that he used through Yume to do. Once we broke that spell on you using it, everything went back to normal."

Yume turned her emerald eyes to her father now with a smile. "And there is no one that knows black magic and how to counter it than you do Papa. And that was something that you made sure to train us in from the day we started. We can hold our own going against you at your strongest."

"But it is un-telling what Hiroshi can and cannot do now and I will not lose you!" Hiromi shut her eyes as she looked down. "It nearly killed me when Yume was taken by him. I will go insane if he takes over both of you."

Going to her mother Yume hugged her from the side. "Mama don't worry about it so much. The training with Papa, Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, Kagome, Kikyo, and Sango, Miroku and Kohaku when they were alive. That isn't the only training that we have done."

Looking over at her daughter Hiromi blinked. "What do you mean it isn't the only training you have done? Who else has been training you?"

Winking at her mother Yume giggled. "You remember the miko that was there the day you guys came to rescue me? Midoriko?"

"Yes."

"She has been back a few times, after Kagome gave us the jewel split in two perfect halves. She told us things we could do to, as she put it, bond with the jewel. And we have done that. It was the jewel and Yuriko's want to save me that let her put up the barrier that saved me back then. So we did that with each other anyway. Only those we know and love can touch us. Nothing else. Yuriko always has a barrier around me and I got one around her."

With a sigh Hiromi dropped her head. "I still don't think that it is a good idea."

Yume sighed as she also closed her eyes and dropped her head. "It is only a matter of time before he comes after us again. If he attacks the palace, who knows what could happen. Especially to Kiseki and Aunt Kikyo. And all the other little ones and innocent lives that can't defend against him. If he brings an army here, even though, Papa, Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, Yuriko and I can fight off black magic, who knows how many he has taught that he might bring with him. What about Kazemaru and Hanako?"

"I get that dear. But at the same time you are my….."

Yuriko sighed as she crossed her arms. "All do respect Mama, we are your grown up pups. Don't you remember Mama? Midoriko told you and Papa that the reason why he was brought back was to mate with you, have us and we were going to be the ones to destroy the threat after Naraku. Hiroshi."

Turning with a half glare Hiromi sighed. "She also said that you didn't actually have to get into the fight that you could help doing other things."

With a sigh as she crossed her arms Yume shook her head. "Fine then. Naraku, he was Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's foe. This is a new threat with a whole new generation. How about Kazemaru and Hanako go with us."

Hiromi glared. She was outwitted there. Yume did have a point. But she knew that Kagome would never agree to let Hanako go off and fight against Hiroshi knowing what he is capable of doing! "I tell you what. You get Kagome and Sesshomaru to let Hanako go and I won't fuss over it anymore."

Seeing where his mate was coming from, Inutaisho smiled. To him it was brilliant. Through the years, though she let her train to fight, Kagome was always rather protective over Hanako and wouldn't let her get into any real battles. "I agree with your mother."

Yume and Yuriko looked at each other then back to their parents. In perfect unison they both blinked. "So if Kagome says that Hanako can go with us that you won't try and stop us from going?" When their parents nodded their heads Yuriko and Yume couldn't help but smile.

X

"Kagome!"

Looking over at a very shocked Hiromi and Inutaisho Kagome blinked as she cocked her head to the side and arched her eyebrow. "What?"

Her head still dropped Hiromi sighed. "We were counting on your protectiveness over Hanako about not letting her go into fights to keep Yuriko and Yume home."

With a sigh as she turned and looked down at the floor Kagome crossed her arms. "When you look at it like they are saying Hiromi it makes sense. Naraku didn't try and go after Inutaisho but the once, and only cause he thought that his power would help him defeat Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. It was Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, Me, Kikyo, and the rest of us that Naraku went after. It was out fight to fight with friends. Hiroshi may be targeting you and Inutaisho, but he is trying to do it through Yuriko and Yume. They are the ones he wants more than anything right now. No doubt is sick and twisted thinking he can force them to kill you then each other. And if I might add, they have gotten to where even when you are really trying can kick your butt in a fight."

Growling Inutaisho crossed his arms and glared. "Kagome."

Turning to look at them with another sigh, Kagome looked first at Inutaisho then to Hiromi. "Look at it this way. You know how they are. You can tell them no, but the bond that they have with the jewel is nothing like it was for me or for Kikyo. At some point you have to let go. Sesshomaru and I were talking about that just the other day when it came to Hanako. She is grown up now. And more than capable in a fight even one on one with her father."

Her entire body slumping down as she fell to the floor Hiromi let tears fall. "I understand that but it is hard with what happened when they were small you know."

Going to their mother, Yume and Yuriko hugged her. "Mama trust in us. We will hunt him down, kill him and be back home as soon as we can. Then you can focus on the one thing you always wanted to do for us."

Looking up at Yume, Hiromi half glared. "What is that?"

"Find us mates."

Her eyes going wide, the glaring at her sister Yuriko growled. "First we need to do this first."

"Just trying to give her something to look forward to while we are gone for when we get home."

Hiromi sighed as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Fine. I don't like it. You are going to give me gray here by the time you get back but fine. It is clearly useless to fight it."

Kagome smiled. "You can all leave in three days."

Looking up at her with blinking eyes Yuriko and Yume both cocked their heads to the side and spoke at the same time. "Why three days we were thinking in the morning."

Winking at them Kagome giggled. "Tomorrow night is Kazemaru's human night. Night after that is Hanako's. You want your departure with them being at a hundred percent right? Wait three days."

"Hundred percent? Departure what is going on Mama?"

Turning with a bright smile, mixed with a glare and crossed arms Kagome laughed. "You my son are going to get your first taste in what it is going to take to one day rule the West when your father retires."

"Huh?" Kazemaru blinked at her as he felt his sister walk past. "What are you talking about?"

Sesshomaru growled pulling not only Kazemaru's attention to him, but Hanako as well. "You, Hanako, Yuriko and Yume are to track down Hiroshi and dispose of him. No whinning. Otherwise, when you get home, you will be restricted to bread and water twice a day. Only. As well as a bell."

Hanako blinked as she looked up at her father. "Really I get to go?"

"Hai."

Jumping and giggling Hanako was excited. She ran over and hugged her father. "Thank you Papa!"

"I want you all to know I am doing this under protest. Only because I don't want to wear that damned bell and have food limited to bread and water." With each word his head slipped further and further down, causing a chorus of laughed to ring out through the room.


	26. Chapter 26

It was the night before they were going to leave to find her brother. Hiromi couldn't sleep, and Inutaisho was in the study with Sesshomaru, showing them all where they could go and try and find him. But she knew that something bad was going to happen. And that she couldn't stop them from going. With the exception of Kazemaru, Hanako, Yume and Yuriko were all excited about getting to go and do this.

Sitting down by the koi pond she let out a sigh as she dropped her head. Her ears slumped down on the side of her head. "I just know that something is going to go wrong. I know it."

"You really should have more faith in your daughters."

Not even looking up as Inutaisho sat down next to her she let out a long sigh. "The day that he came in our home and stole the jewel from Kagome, this has been my worst fears. Even Papa said that they wouldn't have to fight to help. But they feel like it is their burden only to carry and it is not. If it is anyone's to carry it is my own."

"How do you figure that one?"

"Because if not for me none of us would be in this situation right now, and wouldn't have to go up against someone who wants nothing more than to see everyone in this palace dead."

Growling as he glared at her, pulling startled green eyes up to his amber ones. "I thought we got past this self pitty before they were even born?"

Her eyes flashing now, Hiromi crossed her arms and growled herself. "I know it doesn't make a difference no matter what I say but honestly Inutaisho, truth of the matter is you don't know anything about what could happen anymore than I do. You know what I have told you about him. And that hasn't been that much since he is a painful memory for me."

Standing and jerking her up to stand before him, Inutaisho let a growl out that sounded like thunder in the sky. His eyes narrowed down into her eyes. "Not a single day has passed that I have ever for one second regretted my choice in matting with you Hiromi. Do you mean to tell me that after all these years you regret the life we have? The family!"

Jerking out of his arms as a sob lodged in her throat, Hiromi let tears stream down her face. "The fact that you could even fathom that I would regret my life cuts my heart like a knife. I wouldn't go back and change it if I could. Just put yourself in my place for one second! Imagine, your only sense of security is taken away by your very own brother, then he comes after you. And even just for an instant, you see flashes of your life, and a life you will never have fly through your mind. Then you are saved and given that life you never thought you would have. And that same person has caused nothing but pain and suffering in your life wants to take it away too! You really expect me to be okay with letting them go out there to face someone like that? I don't care if I knew for sure that a flare of their powers could turn him to dust I am not going to be happy about and will worry myself sick till the second they walk back through that gate!"

Inutaisho sighed as he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, refusing to let her move when she tried to jerk away from him. "You are right. I don't understand that. But it is the faith that I have in my daughters and grandchildren that will give me the strength that I need to go on when this world is trying to come down around me."

"I have faith in them. It is just, I can't help but worry. I don't know call it a woman thing. You can't tell me you didn't smell Kagome's tears last night and what she and Sesshomaru were talking about. The same thing."

Picking her up with a sigh, Inutaisho headed for the palace walls, and jumped on it then off of it again, headed through the air. To a place not far from where they were. The small palace that they once called home. Landing in the court yard he walked her through the halls to the bedroom they shared.

"Why did we come back here?"

"Do you remember the strong and confident way you were when we were here? The way that your very attitude changed when you knew that it wasn't a dream with me?"

"Yes."

Sitting her down and turning her to face him, with worry clear in his shinning eyes. "Tap into that while they are gone. They are smart, they are focused. They are strong. No matter how hard it is, you have to let them grow up Hiromi. Like it or not."

Falling into his arms in a heap of sobs Hiromi finally let lose of all her pent up feelings. "I know that! I just don't know how to right now."

Laying her down on the bed, Inutaisho curled in around next to her and held her in his arms as she cried. He hated fighting with her. And they have had their fair share of fights with the girls growing up. Not wanting to let them hunt without him. Not wanting to let them use real weapons in training. Kept them in their room at night till they were nearly as tall as she was.

He knew it was hard for her to let go of them. It was hard for him as well. With them and Sesshomaru. And broke his heart knowing he was going to die before Inuyasha saw his first sunrise and he would never get to be anything to him. But fate had another thing in store for him. This beautiful woman in his arms, and two more children. Now three precious grandchildren. He knew it would have been hard for her to let go of them normally. But that damned Hiroshi is making things harder not only on her but the entire pack as well!

Before he knew it, her sobs stopped and she slept soundly in his arms, still clinging to his clothes. 'Damn you!' Then he let his eyes close as he tried to sleep. Knowing he was going to have to deal with this emotional wreck for a while yet to come.

X

Hiromi slowly opened her eyes and then gasped when she didn't feel Inutaisho with her. She flew into a sitting position and looked around her with wide eyes on the verge of tears. She was back at her den! Standing up she started shaking. "Why am I here? Where is Hiroshi?"

"Do not worry so much my dear. This is merely a dream state that you are in."

Turning with her eyes brimming with tears, Hiromi saw her sweet mother standing there before her. Dressed in a fine kimono. "Mama…."

"And Papa too."

Gasping, Hiromi then rushed to them and hugged them both as she sobbed. "Papa! Mama!"

Relishing in getting to hold her daughter in her arms, Yume let her tears fall from her brown eyes. "Oh my pup."

Easing from their hold Hiromi whipped her tears as she turned frantic eyes to her father. "Go to them! Go to Yuriko and Yume and tell them that they don't need to do this! You told me that they don't have to actually fight to get rid of him!"

With stern eyes for his pup, and a strong arm around his mate, Hiro sighed. "I know I said that. But this is something they have decided on their own Hiromi. I doubt that I would have any effect on them at all right now. Right now we are here for you, not them."

"Me?"

Nodding as she flew from her mate's side and once again wrapped her arms around her now grown up daughter, Yume let her tears fall once more. "You have to let them go my dear. They are strong and will be victorious in this fight. Your father and I have already seen it. You must be strong and let them leave."

"But Hiroshi knows….."

Stepping up on her other side, Hiro nodded. "Black magic. So do the girls. It is never easy letting go of your pups. I had to leave you before I was ready. It nearly killed me to know that I was leaving you alone."

Nodding as she eased out of her daughter's arms and back into Hiro's, Yume smiled. "As it did my own. But it is just a fact of life Hiromi."

Falling to her knees Hiromi sighed. "I know that. Doesn't mean that I am happy about it."

Dropping to her knees as well, Yume made her look up into her eyes. "Just remember this Hiromi. Remember when you were small, and you wanted so much to go and play with the other pups, and I was scared to death to let you."

"I remember. You said I would get hurt."

Nodding, Yume smiled. "But I still let you go, it killed me to see you didn't need me anymore, but I let you go. It is time for you to let them go. After all, you are going to have another pup to care for."

Arching her eyebrow at her mother Hiromi looked at her odd. "But Kiseki is Kikyo's. I can spoil her, but….."

Laughing Yume touched her finger to her pups mouth. "No my daughter. You are going to have another pup. A son this time. Inutaisho will know this soon." Then she stood and went to her mate as they smiled down at her now smiling daughter. "For now, this was our last time to step in. Your son will be a key factor in everything that is to happen. This is going to be a long and hard battle for everyone. He will be grown by the time it ends."

Looking up with wide eyes Hiromi gasped. "Just like Naraku."

Nodding Hiro smiled at her. "Your son was not part of the plan, they did not expect you to get pregnant again. Yuriko and Yume were supposed to be the only two you had. This is a game changer, and remember. You will have to let him go as well. We need to go back now. It is nearly dawn and you have news to tell your mate."

Standing as she whipped tears from her eyes Hiromi smiled. "It is going to be hard still, but I understand. I guess I was just being selfish." Then she threw her arms around them and hugged them with all she had. "I love you Mama. Papa."


	27. Chapter 27

Hiromi now stood at the palace gates with her mate, Sesshomaru, Kagome and Inuyasha, as they all saw Yuriko, Yume, Kazemaru, and Hanako off. She has not told Inutaisho or anyone else about the dream yet. She would, she just had to get past this first. Trying to hold back her tears she steps forward and hugs each of them. Then looks in each of their eyes. "Now, I have been thinking. And I know you might not find him in a day then come home. But. If after three full months you haven't found anything, you come back and stay for a month. Then you can go back out again."

Yuriko and Yume looked at each other, everyone else, each other again then their mother. "Really you wouldn't fight on that?"

Hiromi whipped tears as they spilled. "I won't like it. But I won't fight it either. But. If you are not home in exactly three months from today, and you can judge by being home the morning that Hanako turns back into a hanyoukai, then I will put my foot down and you will never leave this palace again have I made myself clear?"

Joining with their niece and nephew in flinching, the four of them nodded. Then they turned to leave. Glancing over their shoulders until the door was closed. The girls thrilled that their mother's didn't have a change of heart, the boy upset that he still had to go.

After Sesshomaru, and a teary eyed Kagome were gone, Inuyasha as well, Inutaisho turned Hiromi to look at him with an odd look. "That went better than I thought it would. What's going on?"

Stepping into his arms, with her hands on his chest she smiled. "I get to tell you this time instead of the other way around. Lets start with, I had a dream last night where I got to talk to Mama and Papa. And they told me."

"Told you what?"

"How it was going to be easier on me in a way to let them go."

"And that is?"

Giggling as she wiggled free of his arms and headed toward the palace. "I am pregnant. Yuriko, Yume, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha are all going to have a little brother. Kiseki a play mate."

X

By that evening, Yuriko and Yume decided to stop and make camp. After setting the fire, Kazemaru got some meat and they all ate something. Though before they went to sleep, Yuriko and Yume had something for their niece and nephew.

Yuriko pulled her necklace out first, and then Yume. Looking at Hanako, Yuriko smiled. "Hanako come here for a second."

"You to Kazemaru. You come over here."

Moving over to their aunts, Hanako was the one who spoke. "What is it Aunt Yuriko?"

Putting the necklace around her neck Yuriko smiled. "The jewel that your mother gave us, is fully under our control. Last night we made these for you guys. It is a necklace with a single shard on each. I gave you your shard, and Yume gave Kazemaru his. The shard has an invisible barrier around it. And now that you have it on, it is around you also."

Looking down at the jewel, Hanako smiled. "The same one like what you said you have around each other?"

Nodding Yume leaned against her sisters back. "That's right, growing up with Kazemaru, and watching you grow up, we have the same want to protect you that we do each other. So long as we want that, Hiroshi won't be able to get in your heads with his black magic."

Kazemaru, went uncharacteristically serious as he looked down at his shard that hung from his neck. "Alright so he can't get me with black magic. And other than that, we don't know anything about how he fights or anything like that. I think that Father was right. We should start by going back to Grandma's tribe. Ask them about what they can tell us about him."

Nodding Yume closed her eyes. "That is where we are going to be headed first thing in the morning."

Yuriko looked up at the stars with a sigh. "I wonder if we will get lucky and he be there when we get there so we can kill him and be done with it?"

Laying down before the fire with a yawn, Hanako giggled. "That would be cool. Mama and Grandma would love that. But I doubt it. I heard Mama and Father talking one night a long time ago, saying that he came across the wolf pack that Grandma was from. Said that since the day he left to try and kill Grandma that he hadn't been back there. But they would have seen him training. They could tell us that."

Nodding Yume smiled. "That is the hope. Right now we all need to get some sleep." Then she closed her eyes and a barrier went up around all of them. That way they could all sleep without worry of what might come along in their sleep.

X

Hiroshi growled from under his cloak. He couldn't believe that they had gotten as strong as they had actually gotten. And their power over the jewel was formidable to say the least. No matter how much he tried, his black magic could not reach the hanyoukai mutts of Sesshomaru's. All because of them!

Clenching his fists he ground his teeth together. "I will see you all dead! Then present your bodies to your parents before they are all killed as well! You will see. I am not one to sweep under the rock and not worry about."

X

Shaking now as they watched their grandchildren through the well Yume clung to Hiro. Thrilled that he was allowed to ascend to heaven to be with her after he helped with their granddaughters. But watching the trouble that they were headed for she couldn't help but be nervous. "Hiro they will be fine won't they?"

Hugging her to him as he turned her from the well and walked back down the path of clouds, Hiro smiled as he nodded. "They will be just fine. Their breeding is a testament to that one. Relax. We have eternity to hold each other now. They will be just fine. You will see."

Nodding Yume smiled up at him and then melted into his arms when he kissed her with a passion that she hadn't felt for oh so long after her death. Twisting her arms around his neck as he pulled his mouth back she smiled. "Eternity sounds good to me."


End file.
